Two Worlds, One Mind
by Heartlocket1004
Summary: Stella thought her trip to New York would be simple. But all goes out the window when she meets Newt Scamander and his fantastic beasts. Suddenly, she's swept into a world she never knew existed, and running for her life from whatever evil magic is at play. Things are not always what they seem… but will Stella find that out the hard way? Or will she find an unexpected reward?
1. New York

*A/N I do not own Fantastic Beasts, its characters, or any of JK Rowling's creations and world, nor do I own the cover picture. I only own my own OC. Story contains spoilers for the movie.

Stella sat on the bench seat on the ship's deck, reading her newspaper thoughtfully. The headline screamed: ' _Ghost Monster_ Strikes Again!' and depicted a black-and-white picture of the destroyed house, which looked almost like a huge jackhammer had smashed right through and it and broken it down to rubble.

This was the third similar case to become public, and the papers were having a field day as they guessed what could possibly be behind these strange 'attacks'. And indeed, it was hard to imagine it was anything but a monster – what else could make it look like there had been a severe earthquake confined to one tiny area of New York?

But Stella was also skeptical of it being the work of a 'Ghost Monster' (who had even named it that?); though she could no more say what it was, the idea that some magical force was at work seemed too far-fetched for her. And that was why she was here.

She sighed as she shuffled the papers and folded them neatly on her lap, glancing about her surroundings for they should be arriving in New York soon. The 'Port Elizabeth' was one of the best ships, travelling the fastest and safest from England; it was why she had chosen to take it in the first place.

Something clicked beside her, and Stella glanced over at the man sitting beside her, noticing him for the first time since she'd taken her seat, as he fiddled with his briefcase.

He looked about thirty years old and was quite tall, even sitting down, though he appeared less so with the way he seemed to hunch uncertainly into himself. His curly, light brown hair was a mixture of neat and messy on his head as his fringe flopped into his face while the rest remained at least somewhat combed in place. Though even then, it looked like he'd run his fingers through it a few times nervously, as there were random tufts sticking up here and there, particularly on the right side.

He was neither _very_ attractive nor was he anywhere close to repulsive – and in fact, he seemed to be trying very hard not to stand out at all. But apparently, his briefcase clasp was giving him trouble as it flicked open again.

"You should really get that fixed." Stella observed, and he glanced at her, startled.

"Oh, y-yes." He agreed quickly, and Stella noticed he seemed to have a perpetual stutter. "I, I really should."

"Is it your first time in New York?" Stella asked sympathetically, noting the general nervous air around the gentleman and his distinct British accent marking him as not from America but one of her own countrymen.

"Is it that obvious?" He asked sheepishly, and Stella smiled as she answered kindly, "No, not really. I'm just good at reading people."

He blinked before looking a little flustered, his embarrassment only further increasing as his briefcase clasp flicked open again.

Stella hid a laugh as she asked, while overlooking his stubborn case politely, "Are you visiting relatives or friends?"

"I'm, I'm here to look around the wildlife." He replied quickly. "You know, e-examine creatures and the land they live in, the animal h-habitats, like a, like a-"

"Zoologist?" Stella supplied helpfully, and he nodded.

Still, Stella couldn't help but raise a brow at his rather peculiar answer.

"In New York City?" She asked skeptically, and he answered hastily, "No, no, I'll probably only look around the city briefly since I'm here anyway, but I intend to travel outside the city."

"Ah, I see." Stella nodded – that made much more sense.

At that moment, the ship's horn blew, signaling their arrival, and Stella perked up as she glanced towards the railings.

"Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. …" She began as she rose up, and he answered as he held out his hand politely, "Newt Scamander."

"Mr. Scamander." Stella smiled, shaking his hand before introducing, "Rowland, Stella Rowland."

"The pleasure was all mine, Miss Rowland." Newt answered, before grimacing as his briefcase clasp flicked open once more.

Stella did laugh this time, and she said with a teasing smile as she walked off, "You really will want to see that that's fixed. Good day, Mr. Scamander."

Stella walked away then, going to lean on the ship's railings and smiling as the ship finally sailed into New York City harbour.

Newt watched her go, admiring her figure as she walked. She was tall, perhaps ten centimeters shorter than he was at his own lanky build. And she was very pretty – with short, neatly curled blonde hair and bright brown eyes, she was a classic beauty: a bombshell as some would call her.

But what really caught Newt's attention was her warm and yet aloof smile, her friendly but professional manners, and he wondered what line of work she was in. Perhaps a secretary? Or a PA? Not that it really mattered – she was almost certainly Muggle.

Newt winced as his briefcase clasp flicked open again, and he closed it softly once more, placing his briefcase on his lap as he sat back down on the bench. A whine sounded from inside, and he smiled lightly.

"Dougal, settle down now please." He murmured, and his smile widened slightly as he heard Dougal growl restlessly from within the case.

"It won't be long." Newt promised, and Dougal grumbled again but went silent. Newt glanced at Miss Rowland one more time before he picked up his case, and strode away to get ready to disembark.

* * *

"Next!"

Stella stood patiently in the immigration line, waiting for the people who had disembarked before her to go through the identification and baggage checks as she shuffled her carrier bag restlessly in her hand. She spotted a familiar figure moving a few people ahead to have his ID checked, and she smiled lightly as she watched Newt Scamander hand over his ID nervously.

He was almost adorably bumbling, and Stella entertained herself with watching him as the line moved slowly forward. His bag seemed to be giving him trouble again, and she noted with amusement that the baggage checker's brow had risen skeptically.

As he requested Newt to show the contents of his bag – or that's what it looked like from her perspective as Newt placed his suitcase on the inspection table – another voice called, "Next!"

Stella turned her attention from the strange man and walked to the open station, handing over her ID and her pass. The baggage checker, a heavyset man, raised a brow as he read them both.

"British, huh." He muttered, his disdain evident. "And they sent you?"

"Yes." Stella answered coolly, having long gotten used to the prejudiced perception of not only her peers but also the general people.

The man eyed her, his gaze still skeptical, but he simply gestured to her carrier bag as he questioned per protocol, "I'm assuming you know the drill since you've been here before, but: there isn't anything edible in there?"

"No." Stella replied patiently, and he checked, "Livestock?"

"No." Stella answered, and he nodded as he checked her ID once more before closing the small book and handing it back to her.

"Welcome back to New York, Miss." He said, a tad sarcastic, but Stella simply replied politely, "Thank you."

"Next!" He called as Stella stepped around him and walked out of the pier, shuffling her papers back into her handbag while balancing her carrier bag in her other hand.

' _All right._ ' She thought determinedly. ' _Let's take a look around now, shall we?_ '

* * *

Stella glanced at her watch as she walked down the streets of New York City, heading for her motel. She was a quite a bit early still and had plenty of time to unpack and re-freshen before she needed to head out again, but experience had taught her that when she was told to be at a meeting, she had best be early if she wanted even the slightest chance of being taken seriously.

' _One day,_ ' she thought dourly, ' _they won't be able to look down on me for being a woman any more. One day… yeah, right._ '

Either way, she strode down the streets without really paying attention to what was happening around her as the bustle and noise of the city blared around her. It wasn't that she'd been to New York often, but she'd been a few times and the nature of her work meant the city had lost most of its luster by now.

That said, she still slowed down as she passed before a bank, hearing loud voices and she looked over as a woman cried from the bank's steps, "This great city sparkles with the jewels of man's inventions!"

Stella paused, watching with a slight frown as the woman continued to preach, "Movie theatres, automobiles, wireless, electric lights! All dazzle and bewitch us."

Stella glanced at the banner the group was holding up, depicting an image of two hands breaking what looked like a wand while flames burnt in the background and the letters N.S.P.S. blazed at the top. Her gaze lowered back to the group of three children, two young girls and a slightly older, teenage boy who stood at the back carrying flyers with the same mark.

Her frown deepened as she turned back to the woman as she said earnestly, "But where there is light, there is shadow, friend."

Unbeknownst to Stella, Newt had also paused before the group gathered in front of the woman's preaching on his way of looking around the city. He pushed through to get a better look as his curiosity got the better of him, accidentally hitting a woman eating a hot dog in the crowd with his shoulder.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Newt apologized, before he also focused on the preaching woman as she cried, "Something is stalking our city! Reeking destruction and then disappearing without a trace. Listen to me!"

Newt placed his case down before his feet while the woman shouted, "We have to fight! Join us, the Second Salemers, in our fight."

Stella wrinkled her nose in disgust.

' _Witch hunts._ ' She sighed, while the woman continued, "You hear me? We _have_ to fight together for the sake of our chil-"

She was cut off as a short, rather chubby man tripped suddenly, falling through the crowd and landing heavily on the ground right at the bank steps.

Stella looked over in surprise and concern, before she was surprised further as she saw – of all people - Newt Scamander leaning down hurriedly to pick up his briefcase as he apologized, "So sorry. My case."

The other man sighed but he shrugged easily as he answered good-naturedly, "No harm done. Uh, 'scuse me."

He hurried off up the steps, while the preaching woman stared at Newt.

"You!" She called, and Newt looked up in surprise at being addressed. "Friend. What drew you to our meeting today?"

"Oh, I was just passing." Newt stammered, and Stella looked between the pair in concern as the woman inquired, "Are you a seeker? A seeker after truth?"

"I'm more of a chaser, really." Newt answered, and Stella snorted.

Perhaps he heard, for he glanced over in her direction before his eyes lit up in recognition.

Stella sent him a smile, which the woman seemed to note with displeasure as she called in a sharp voice, "Hear my words. And heed my warning! And laugh if you dare! Witches live among us."

Newt looked back at the woman, looking borderline alarmed, while Stella fought an eye roll. She glanced at her watch, and noting the time hurried away quickly once more while in the back the woman continued to cry, "We have to fight together for the sake of our children! For the sake of tomorrow."

' _Right._ ' Stella thought to herself as she walked away. ' _Let's just ignore all logic, and lay blame on some so-called magic._ '

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the bank, the woman had turned back to Newt as she inquired, "What do you say to that, friend?"

But Newt was no longer paying attention, staring in horror at a tiny, suspicious paw reaching out from the shadows and towards a homeless person's hat. He watched it grab the hat, almost spilling the silver coins gathered inside it, and then glanced at his briefcase in alarm.

The clasp was open again, and he looked back with wide eyes as he saw the tiny creature sitting at the top of the steps, stuffing the coins into its pouch before scampering off into the bank.

"Excuse me." Newt mumbled quickly to the woman as he hurried passed her and into the bank, while cursing silently in his head, ' _Oh, blasted Niffler! You are in trouble when I catch you!_ '

* * *

At the same time, Stella had walked across the street, still thinking about the preachers – the New Salem Philanthropic Society, as she'd heard they were called - and she scoffed to herself.

' _There are no such things as witches._ ' She thought with a huff as she walked on down the road and towards her motel.


	2. Ghost Monster?

Stella checked in and only stayed long enough in her room to use the toilet and freshen herself up a bit, before she was heading back out onto the streets of New York.

She still had plenty of time, so she strolled at a leisurely pace along the streets, though she barely glanced twice at her surroundings. New York City could seem both wondrous and intimidating to first-timers, but in her line of work, she'd seen too much of the darker sides for the city to look quite so glamorous but also it had diminished a lot of the fear as well.

Live amongst the shadows for long enough, and you got used to the dark.

But Stella paused as she was passing an alleyway, hearing a quiet cry of pain from inside while other voices jeered. Frowning, she peered inside before her eyes narrowed angrily.

There, in the corner of the alleyway and just outside of the way of prying eyes, were a group of three teenage boys. Two were slightly better dressed that the third, who was dressed in all black and clearly hand-me-down clothes and whom Stella recognized as the boy she'd seen with the NSPS woman earlier ouside the bank.

The same two were also towering over the third, not from their own superior height but because they'd shoved the boy down to the ground, where he remained curled in a whimpering ball as the other two boys jeered at him.

"Look at him – pathetic." The one boy scoffed, while the other taunted, "What's the matter? You need mummy to help you? She's a freak too, going on about witches. A freak, just like you, aren't you, you little fu-"

"Oi! You two!" Stella called sharply, and the two boys whirled around to look at her as she strode down the alleyway towards them. The third boy only cowered further while the other two boys smirked as they saw exactly who had called out to them.

"Well, hello there." One – a blonde with blue eyes, who was just handsome enough that he probably had several young admirers to inflate his already engorged ego – greeted as his eyes raked down Stella's body, despite her very modest dress and coat. "What's a strumpet like you doing in-?"

"Eyes up here, _boy_." Stella ordered coldly, cutting him off.

The boy raised a brow as his friend – who clearly only followed the first boy to share in his power and attention - wolf-whistled.

"Fiery, and a Brit too." The friend joked as he also eyed Stella like a fresh piece of meat. "Bet ya think you're so posh, don't ya?"

"But they say that the prim ones let go the fiercest." The first boy taunted as he leered at Stella. "How bout it, baby? You want-"

"Unless you wish to be placed under arrest for harassment, inappropriate conduct and sexual harassment, I suggest you leave now." Stella answered calmly but sternly as she eyed both boys with clear distaste.

"Oh, please." The first boy scoffed. "As if anyone would-"

"Reporter Rowland of the London Times, Crime news division." Stella cut in, flashing her press pass at them with a strict expression. "I've attended more trials and examined more murder cases than years either of you have been alive. It also means," she added as the boys' faces blanched, "that I have friends on the force who will not hesitate to take my word over yours."

She folded her arms, and said with a raised brow, "Now. I believe I have asked you to leave. Twice; do not try for a third."

The boys quickly left, giving her dirty looks as they did but Stella ignored them as she turned to the boy on the ground.

He was staring up at her as though unable to believe what she'd just done, but as she knelt down beside him he flinched and cowered back once more.

"It's all right." Stella said soothingly, raising her hands slowly to show she meant no harm. "I won't hurt you. I just want to make sure you're not injured."

The boy watched her with wide eyes as Stella carefully reached forward to check the boy's hands and face for obvious injuries. Stella knew how terrified people could react like trapped animals, lashing out in self-defense, so she kept her movements slow and careful so as not to alarm the boy.

"What's your name?" Stella inquired as she checked him over for injuries and the boy seemed terrified by the question.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to – and I won't report this to anyone if you don't want me to." Stella reassured, and he blurted out in a terrible stammer, "N-no. D-don't t-tell."

"Then it'll just be between you and me." Stella promised as she leaned back carefully, satisfied that the boy was unharmed beside his bruised ego. Though it appeared he had none to start with, she noted sadly.

The boy, who'd looked so meek even outside the bank with – whom she assumed was his mother – now looked positively downtrodden but made no attempt to lift himself up. It was heartbreaking, but not uncommon to her in her field of work.

"Well, it seems you're not hurt." Stella encouraged. "You should head on your way – and stay away from mean boys like them, yeah?"

He bit his lip, as though uncertain how to respond, so Stella just gave him a kind smile as she noted, "Though, you're dressed rather lightly for the chilly weather."

He seemed to flinch, but Stella pretended not to notice as she unwrapped her scarf and carefully placed it around the boy's neck, tucking it in neatly while he stared at her like she was some guardian angel.

"My name's Stella." She added as she made to get up at last, satisfied and still keeping her movements slow and unassuming. "You stay warm now, okay?"

She smiled again before turning, making to go, when a soft voice croaked out, "Credence."

Stella glanced back, and seeing him looking so wide-eyed and unsure, she gave him another kind smile.

"It was nice meeting you, Credence." Stella said gently. "Be safe on your way."

And with that she gave a friendly, careful wave before heading out of the alley.

Glancing at her watch, she saw that she'd used quite a bit of time but she would still make it in time. Howevr, deciding not to take any more chances, she hurried to catch a cab, looking back once as she climbed in and wondering if the Credence boy would be all right just as she heard faint security alarms ringing somewhere in the distance... from around where she'd come from the bank earlier.

* * *

"'Like a wind. Like a ghost. But dark. Shining white eyes.'?" Stella read skeptically.

The man across from her shrugged as he answered, "That's what the witness said. I'm just giving you his words straight."

Stella frowned.

She was sitting in one of the offices of the New York Times Company, as she normally did when she was sent to collaborate with the New York press. And as usual, the man in charge of meeting her was being an arse, not very helpful and looking down at her with his own skeptical gaze. It was all she could do to not wring his neck and focus on the witness account he had – reluctantly – passed over to her.

' _Where's Alex when you need him?_ ' She scowled internally.

Alex was one of the oldest journalists at the New York Times Company, and had worked a few times with Stella; enough to know she meant business and was serious about her work. Unfortunately, being one of the oldest also meant he'd also been promoted over a year ago, and was now working in a more supervisorial role.

Hence, she was stuck with yet _another_ prejudiced male who judged her for her gender before even giving her a chance, even though he was clearly newer to the job than she was.

Well, she'd just have to show him.

"What did the detectives say?" She questioned, skimming the witness account with narrowed eyes. Normally, the detectives added on notes to the accounts, personal observations, details etc. but this one seemed strangely lacking in anything but quoted words from the witness.

"Dunno." The male journalist – Bill – answered dully, looking bored. "It should be on there, shouldn't it?"

"Well, I'm glad to see you at least know protocols." Stella said, her tone dripping acid as she leveled a cold look at the man across from her. "But unfortunately that also means I either deduct several points from my already low guess on your IQ or conclude that you are a lazy buffoon for not noticing that this report is _lacking_ in the detective's contributions."

"What was that?" Bill asked sharply, sitting up straighter as he glared at the unimpressed woman. "What did you call me?"

"I said you're either an idiot or lazy. Do you need me to dumb it down even further for you, Mr. Wagner?" Stella asked icily, and the man stood as he said sharply, "Now, look here, woman! I don't know who you think you are-"

"Problem, Mr. Wagner, Miss Rowland?"

Stella looked up with relief while Bill glared as Alex walked into the office, an eyebrow raised as he surveyed the pair.

"Yes, there is!" Bill snapped furiously, pointing at Stella. "This woman's just some prissy with a stick up her-"

"Reporter Rowland, what seems to be the issue?" Alex cut in, and Stella hid a smirk as she saw Bill's face drop almost comically.

"The issue, Mr. Browning," Stella answered as Bill gaped at her, "is that you have an incompetent journalist, who has failed to recognize even the basics of gathering the minimum required information when conducting research into crime reports that he must make into a news report."

"Is that right, Mr. Wagner?" Alex asked, looking at Bill expectantly, and the man flushed a deep red.

"I – not quite, sir…" Bill began, looking very mortified and angry, but Alex cut in smoothly, "Perhaps it is best I remove you from this case, and have Reporter Rowland take over. You wouldn't mind writing a dual report for our paper while you write up your London one, Miss Rowland?"

He looked at Stella, who answered coolly, "It would be no trouble, Mr. Browning, so long as our usual contract denoting that I write special features as a London Times reporter is still in effect."

"Of course, Miss Rowland." He answered. "And you know that my offer still stands."

"You still trying to steal me away from the London Times?" Stella grinned, and he answered with a twinkle in his eye, "I only chase the best, Reporter Rowland. In this case, that is you. How's Pete on the police force?"

"He's doing well – busy, but what else can you expect from Detective Inspectors." Stella answered, thoroughly enjoying the look on Bill's face.

"Indeed." Alex winked slyly at her before he turned, saying as he left, "I will leave you to your work now, Reporter Rowland. Mr. Wagner, with me."

Stella's lips curved into a slight smile as Alex all but hauled the younger man out with him, and she heard Bill say incredulously as he was basically dragged away, " _She_ 's Reporter Rowland? The reporter you were always praising so highly was a _woman_?!"

Stella's face was grimly satisfied as she turned back to her work.

It had taken her three years to build up her credentials and reputation, both here and in London, as a competent if not skilled reporter. Five years, if you counted the very beginning of working her way into being hired at all.

While women journalists were getting a little more acceptable now after the war, it was still a hard sight to see and even more difficult to get appropriate recognition. The social stigma was also harsh, with many looking down at the women who worked around so many men in a male-dominated industry.

But Stella was determined to succeed, and she had worked tirelessly the past years to get where she was now. She held high standards for herself and her co-workers, something that had initially made them snub her before slowly the people around her started to accept her work, even though she was both a woman and rather young at only twenty-six years of age.

Michael Forster back in London had been the first to see passed her gender and help her establish credibility back home; and Alex had been a big influence here in New York.

Still, getting the real news out to the public was always difficult for her. Just because she was a woman. But someday…

Shaking her head from such thoughts, Stella turned back to her papers. She needed to focus.

Once again noting the lack of details, Stella pursed her lips before reaching across for the landline. Dialing quickly, she waited patiently as the phone rang several times before it was finally answered.

"'ello?"

"Dawson?" She asked, and the man answered in surprise, "Rowland?"

"It's me." Stella confirmed, and he asked pleasantly, "Well, well, didn't think you'd come back again so soon. What can I do for you this time?"

"I need you to get a better report from one of your detectives." She explained. "It's about that 'ghost monster'…."


	3. Wizards

Stella frowned as she walked down the streets of New York once more.

Dawson had reported back to her fairly quickly, within the hour in fact, but he didn't have very good news. At least, not for her.

" _Refuses to add anything more." Dawson had informed an incredulous Stella. "Said that the witness account was all he could make of what happened. Just like the witness said, there was a strong wind before the remainder of the ruined house was torn down. And a ghost-like, black thing sped away under the ground, blowing up a subway entrance. It's strange though – my man's usually good at his job."_

But he wasn't good enough, at least this time.

His words made no sense, and there was certainly no proof to back up his claims. The man hadn't even managed to photograph or detail a drawing of the 'creature' he'd witnessed; he simply stated that he was relaying all he could given what he had seen himself.

Now, frustrated, Stella headed out to investigate a potential lead that had come in.

Apparently, there had been a gas leak in a small apartment block a few miles down that had threatened to blow up an entire section of the building. It could be nothing but it could also be something, and Stella intended to find out if there _was_ something there.

She reached her destination, and – noting the large crowd gathered on the street before the apartment building - she slipped around towards the emergency stairs at the back.

As she went, she heard snippets of protests from the crowd, where a policeman was trying to calm the situation down and failing.

"Hey, hey! Quiet down, I'm trying to get a statement!" He shouted, while another woman snapped, "I'm telling you, it's a gas explosion again! I ain't taking the kids back up there until it's safe."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but there ain't no smell of gas." The police man retorted, while another woman said anxiously, "Is it the monster, then? The one in the papers?"

"Oh God, my children were in the house earlier!" Another woman gasped while a man shouted, "It was gas! It _was_ gas!"

Stella lost track of their words as she made her way around the building, and she quickly made her way up the iron stairway, rushing towards where she could see an exploded apartment room.

"Hello?" She called as she approached, noting the gaping hole in the brick wall where it looked like something had ripped its way through. "Is anyone- bloody hell!"

She gasped, noting a chubby man lying on his side in the corner of the exploded room.

"Hey, are you all right?" Stella demanded as she rushed to the man's side. He was middle-aged, with dark facial hair that stood out darkly against his currently deathly-pale cheeks.

"Uh…" He mumbled, and Stella sucked in a sharp breath when she saw a bloody mark on the man's neck… as though he had been bitten.

"What in the world…?" She breathed, when the sound of footsteps made her glance back sharply. They were soft and she had almost missed them entirely – this person didn't want to be noticed.

Quickly, Stella ducked under a broken bed, tucking herself in as she waited with narrowed eyes while someone paused in the doorway.

Stella waited with bated breath as a blue coat clad figure swept into the room, kneeling down beside the wounded man and checking the same bloody mark that she had seen earlier. But that wasn't what made Stella frown – rather, it was the odd familiarity of the man's back…

"Mr. Scamander!"

Stella almost jumped as she heard a feminine hiss float up the stairs while the man in the blue coat hurriedly stood up as they heard heavy footsteps stomping up towards them.

And then Stella's jaw dropped.

Somehow, the decimated wall had started to put itself together, as did all the broken pieces of furniture in the small apartment room. The repairs took less than a minute, and Stella had to muffle her gasp when the bed repaired itself right over her head.

It was a good thing she did too – Newt Scamander's feet, barely visible from her spot under the bed, moved swiftly towards her, and Stella winced as the man sat down on the edge of the bed, the mattress sinking down and almost hitting her head.

Luckily, she'd flattened herself to the ground and scooted as far into the corner as possible to avoid detection, even though it limited her sight, and Stella waited with a pounding heart for whatever was going to happen next.

' _What is going on?_ ' She thought desperately. ' _How did he manage to fix everything so quickly? Does he have magical powers or something? No, no, no, there is_ no _such thing as magic… right?_ '

"It was open?" The same feminine – and distinctly American – voice questioned as a woman arrived in the apartment doorway, and Stella furrowed her brows.

' _What was open?_ ' She wondered, while Newt answered a little tensely, "Just a smidge."

"That crazy Niffler thing's on the loose again?" The woman asked, her tone clearly sounding aghast, and Stella repeated silently to herself, ' _Niffler?!_ '

"Uh…" Newt answered hesitantly. "Might be."

The man in the corner continued to groan, while the woman hissed at Newt incredulously, "Then look for it! Look! Oh."

Stella jumped as a familiar suitcase was abruptly dropped by the bed, right before her eyes, while the strange woman knelt down beside the injured man, the bottom half of her long grey coat the only part of her visible to Stella.

"His neck's bleeding." The woman snapped flatly at Newt, her voice acidic. "He's hurt."

' _No, really?_ ' Stella thought crassly, wondering just who these people were as the woman begged the man, "Oh! Wake up, Mr. No-Mag- aaaaaah!"

Stella jumped as the woman suddenly fell back with a loud shriek, before Stella herself yelped as a strange, pinkish, floppy… _thing_ came jumping out of seemingly nowhere and raced across the floor… toward her.

"AHHH!" Stella screamed while Newt leapt up, both to grab the thing and from shock at Stella's suddenly announced presence.

"Wha- who's there?!" The other American woman shouted, her voice alarmed and guarded but Stella barely heard her.

"Ow!" Stella yelped as the beast, creature, _something_ , that had come flying toward her bit her hand.

A heartbeat later, Newt was there, grappling at the thing biting Stella's hand even as his startled green eyes met Stella's indignant brown ones.

"Miss Rowland?" He asked in surprise, while the American woman cried, "Who? And mercy Lewis, _what_ is that?"

"Just get it off!" Stella cried, staring at the growling pink lump attached to her left hand, and Newt quickly obliged.

Stroking it on some random spot, Newt instantly got the thing to let go of Stella's hand before he pulled back away from under the bed quickly.

Stella followed him, crawling out now that she'd been discovered anyway, and she demanded as she stared at the creature incredulously, "What _is_ that?"

"Nothing to worry about." Newt answered quickly, his voice attempting to be reassuring as he wrestled the creature into his briefcase.

It went squirming and snarling, but Newt swiftly slammed the case shut, clicking the clasps shut firmly as he explained rather nervously, "That is… a murtlap."

He gave the two women a strained smile, and Stella stared at him with wide eyes even as the tall, brunette American woman's eyes narrowed as she slowly looked down at the suitcase.

"What else have you got in there?" The woman asked in a low, deadly voice while Stella asked incredulously, "Was _that_ why your case clasp kept coming undone? _How_ did customs not catch you?"

"And who are you?" The American woman asked her, suddenly remembering Stella's presence once more, while Newt stuttered, "Um…"

Of course, it was at that moment that the injured man woke up, sitting up as though dazed before his eyes landed on Newt.

"You." He gasped, and Newt greeted uncomfortably, "Hello."

As the man groaned, the American woman said quickly, "Easy, Mr. uh…"

"Kowalski." The man answered while Stella demanded, "Mr. Scamander, I demand you tell me what is going on!"

"It's nothing. I'm really sorry about this Miss Rowland." Newt answered as he stood up and drew a long wooden stick.

Stella eyed the stick warily, sensing somehow that it was more than a piece of wood, while in the corner of the room Mr. Kowalski continued to introduce himself to the American woman, "Jacob Kow-."

Newt pointed his stick at Mr. Kowalski, who flinched back warily.

But the American woman threw herself in the way before Newt could do whatever it was he was going to do, and she said scandalously, "You can't obliviate him! We need him as a witness."

"Obliviate? And sorry, _witness_?" Stella asked, while Newt muttered to the American in exasperation, "Yes, I'm sorry, you've just yelled at me for the length of New York for _not_ doing it in the first place."

"He's hurt!" The American pointed out, pointing to Mr. Kowalski who was still looking pale, sweaty, and generally out of it. "He looks ill-"

"He'll be fine." Newt sighed, before nodding at Stella's finger as he added to her, "You will be too, Miss Rowland. Murtlap bites aren't serious."

Of course, Mr. Kowalski choked and moaned at that moment, as though on the verge of throwing up.

Stella's eyes went wider than even before while the American woman patted Mr. Kowalski and gave Newt the evil eye.

Newt fiddled with his stick and case as he admitted nervously, "Yeah, I admit that is a, a slightly more severe reaction than I've seen. But," he added quickly, "if it was really serious, he'd have…"

He suddenly broke off, looking like he'd just said something he hadn't meant to and both Stella and the American woman's faces shut off instantly.

"He'd have…?" Stella asked expectantly, while the American woman stood up and demanded flatly, "What?"

Newt hesitated before he caved under their pressurizing stares and he answered, "Well, the first symptom would be flames out of his anus-"

"Bloody hell." Stella gasped, while the American woman moaned, "Oh, this is balled up!"

Mr. Kowalski also looked up, white as a sheet – though, admittedly, he had been for a while now – while Newt added quickly, "And he doesn't seem to; it would last forty-eight hours at the most!"

Stella stared at the pair, wondering how the American woman wasn't shocked about the symptom but rather worried about it as though it would be natural, while Newt continued hastily to the woman, "I can keep him, and Miss Rowland, if you wanted-"

"Keep them?!" The American repeated incredulously. "We don't _keep_ them!"

Mr. Kowalski groaned in the corner again while Stella inched her way around the edges of the room as the American woman sighed, clearly forcing herself to calm down before she asked in a forced even tone, "Mr. Scamander, do you know _anything_ about the Wizarding community in America?"

At that Stella's mouth dropped open once more.

 _Wizarding…?_

"I do know a few things, actually." Newt answered, still sounding very nervous but continuing firmly. "I know that you have rather backwards laws about relations with non-magic people."

 _Non-magic…?_

The American woman placed her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes at Newt as he listed, "That you're not meant to befriend them, that you can't marry them, which seems mildly absurd to me-"

Stella shook her head slowly, while the American woman interrupted sharply, "Who's gonna to marry him?"

She pointed at Mr. Kowalski dismissively, and the man gave her a disgruntled look while Newt fumbled and the American woman sighed.

"You're all coming with me." She ordered, and Newt protested, "I don't see why _I_ need to come with you-"

"No, sorry, what?"

Both 'wizards' turned in surprise to look at Stella as she stood up shakily, staring at the pair incredulously as Stella finally lost her composure for the first time in _years_.

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Stella stated, pointing at the American before pointing at Newt.

"Either of you. You're clearly mad, off your rockers, and I don't know how you've managed to do… whatever you just did," she gestured to the wall and Newt winced, "but I'm having you both arrested."

"Um…" Newt began, when the American woman interjected, "Who are you?"

"I'm a woman clearly in the company of insane people in need of psychiatric help and quickly, before I go mad too." Stella answered sharply, when Newt interjected quickly, "Miss Rowland, I'm sorry. I know this may be difficult to believe but Miss Goldstein and I are a witch and wizard, members of the magical community that live hidden amongst your Muggle community."

"Muggle?" Stella asked, bewildered. Later she would remember how not knowing the foreign term had been her priority in that moment, and Stella would laugh at her own absurdity.

"It means you're non-magical." Newt clarified, and Stella closed her eyes.

"Would you please stop using that word?" Stella borderline begged, her hands shaking just slightly in agitation. "There _can't_ be such thing as magic."

"Well-" Newt began, when Miss Goldstein interrupted, "It's fine if you don't believe us. You won't remember it in a moment anyway."

"What?" Stella asked.

Newt glanced at the American woman nervously as she explained, "I'm sorry, but we'll have to obliviate you."

"What?" Stella repeated, and Newt explained, "We'll wipe your memories of us and what happened."

"… What?"

Instead of answering Stella's weak question, Newt turned to Miss Goldstein as he pointed out, "You just said not to obliviate them."

"Well, we only need one witness." She returned. "And Mr. Kowalski's clearly hurt so we can't just leave him – it makes the choice obvious."

"I got bitten too." Stella reminded quickly, and Miss Goldstein countered dryly, "Yes, but you can be fixed with a simple healing charm. Mr. Kowalski clearly needs more advanced medical attention."

They all looked over at the man who was struggling to prop himself against the wall, still sweating profusely and looking deathly pale.

"But I could develop symptoms, right Mr. Scamander?" Stella asked, looking at Newt pointedly, sensing he would be more helpful than the trigger-happy Miss Goldstein.

"Hm?" He asked, and she said pointedly, "I think I should to be monitored for 48 hours before you… obliviate me. Who knows if I suddenly develop serious symptoms when I'm on my own with my… non-magic colleagues."

"Oh! Right."

Newt caught on at last, to Stella's relief, and said quickly, "Yes, yes, of course. We should monitor that bite - though it really _isn't_ that serious."

"Of course." Stella almost deadpanned, while Miss Goldstein threw up her hands and said in exasperation, "Fine! Come on."

She hauled Mr. Kowalski up, and he stammered woozily, "Ugh. I'm dreaming, right?"

"Yes." Miss Goldstein answered shortly, and Mr. Kowalski continued to mumble, sounding half-stunned, "I'm tired. I never went to the bank. This is all just some big nightmare, right?"

"For the both of us, Mr. Kowalski." Miss Goldstein replied in a growl as she sent both Newt and Stella daggers with her eyes before grabbing them all and suddenly causing them all to disappear.


	4. Magic

"Bloody hell." Stella groaned as they reappeared in an alleyway somewhere. "I feel awful."

"Sorry – first time apparating does that to a person." Newt informed her while she held her stomach, which felt like it had been wrapped inside out of her intestines several times.

"Apparating?" Stella repeated, trying to keep from hurling.

"It gets us from one place to another." Newt explained, and Stella asked as she slowly straightened up, "So, like teleporting?"

"More or less." Newt agreed as he observed her with great interest.

"Right." Stella muttered under her breath. "Totally normal that you can travel across space itself."

"You're taking it very well." Newt noted and Stella looked at him.

"Most people vomit on their first try." He elaborated, and Stella raised a brow.

"I wonder why." She deadpanned.

Newt was interrupted from replying as a voice said stiffly, "When you two are ready."

The pair looked over at the irate Miss Goldstein, who was still propping up Mr. Kowalski as she said pointedly, "We need to get moving?"

"R-Right, sorry." Newt apologized nervously, while Stella waved her hand to indicate that Miss Goldstein should lead the way.

The tall woman did so, almost dragging Mr. Kowalski with her as she did so. Newt and Stella followed in uncomfortable silence, both by the American woman's cold attitude and at the general awkwardness.

Newt had never really been in the company of very many people before, and particularly a Muggle, while Stella was still trying to wrap her head around the idea that magic could – and apparently _did_ – actually exist.

"So, what _is_ a murtlap?" Stella asked at last as they walked behind Miss Goldstein.

Newt glanced at her in surprise, and Stella shrugged as she said as lightly as she could, "It's not like telling me can be all that bad, if you really intend on erasing my memories later."

Newt's lips twitched, as though wanting to smile but uncertain about actually doing so, before he explained, "A murtlap is a marine beast that lives mostly in British oceans. Its tentacles have incredible healing powers, but little is known about them outside of that – I study them because I want to correct that."

"Tentacles? You mean those… spiky things on it?" Stella asked, remembering the wriggly extensions on the pink rat-like creature.

"Yes, those." Newt had a hint of a smile on his face, though it was incredibly strained.

"And it lives in your suitcase?" Stella asked as she glanced at the suitcase Newt was once again carrying. It didn't seem big enough for a creature as energetic as the one she had seen, but who knew? Maybe it was quieter in dark, cramped places.

"Er, s-somewhat." Newt muttered evasively, his stutter back.

Sensing he didn't want to talk about it, Stella asked instead, "So, you're saying that there are wizards… and I suppose witches, in America, and in Britain?"

"All over the world." Newt corrected. "We live just like Muggles, in our own communities mostly, although they coincide with the Muggle world in ways that you and other Muggles can't see."

"You don't mean that there's a giant Wizarding headquarters or something in the middle of New York City." Stella laughed, but stopped when she saw Newt's uncomfortable face.

"Really?" Stella asked, and Newt nodded.

"What about London?"

"Yes, our Ministry is in the middle of downtown London." Newt answered, and Stella asked incredulously, "Your _Ministry_?"

"Ministry of Magic." Newt explained as though it were obvious, and Stella asked, trying very hard to keep her skepticism out of her voice, "And this… Ministry is your world's... government?"

"In Britain, yes." Newt confirmed, causing Stella's jaw to drop.

"So, there's a magic government here in America as well?" Stella questioned, and Newt answered uncomfortably, "Yes, there is. Here in New York City, in fact."

His eyes glanced at Miss Goldstein as he spoke, and Stella caught the movement.

"Does Miss Goldstein work for the American Ministry?" Stella asked, and Newt corrected almost automatically, "MACUSA."

"Ma-what?" Stella asked, bewildered, and Newt explained apologetically, "Sorry; it's MACUSA here in America. Magical Congress of the United States of America."

"Blimey, and I thought politics was complicated before." Stella sighed, and Newt's lips twitched again.

Unfortunately, he appeared to be too nervous to actually smile or laugh as Miss Goldstein ordered, "Take a right here."

She swerved sharply to the side, walking onto a different street, and the pair followed, lapsing into silence once more as Mr. Kowalski choked slightly before clearing his throat uncomfortably.

Miss Goldstein suddenly crouched down, hiding herself behind a delivery truck and peering around the side at the apartment building across the street warily. Stella paused, also looking around dubiously as she wondered what was placing Miss Goldstein on edge, when the woman turned and said quickly to Newt, "Okay, uh, before we go in. I'm not supposed to have men on the premises."

Stella raised a brow, while Newt blinked before he said hopefully, "In that case, Mr. Kowalski and I can easily seek other accommodations-"

"Oh, no you don't." Miss Goldstein answered, rolling her eyes while Stella stifled a laugh. This really wasn't the time for it, when she was still very uncertain what her fate was going to be.

So instead, she followed as Miss Goldstein grabbed Mr. Kowalski and basically dragged him and Newt along behind her, adding over her shoulder as she crossed the road, "Watch your step!"

* * *

Tina ushered Stella on ahead to take the lead while she brought up the rear, just in case her landlady saw them, keeping the two men between them and – hopefully – out of sight as they all crept as quietly as they could up the creaky stairs.

They'd barely made it up onto the second floor when a voice called sharply from below, "Is that you, Tina?"

Stella and Newt both grabbed Mr. Kowalski instantly, forcing him to freeze as they all stopped moving, holding their breath while Newt hushed Mr. Kowalski softly as he almost let out a startled noise.

"Yes, Mrs. Esposito!" Miss Tina Goldstein called back, trying to keep her nervousness out of her voice, and the woman called suspiciously, "Are you alone?"

"Always alone, Mrs. Esposito." Miss Goldstein answered as nonchalantly as she could as she eyed her three companions.

She motioned to Stella to hurry down the hallway, and Stella quickly made her way down before stopping before the only door on their side. Miss Goldstein hurried beside her, opening the door for them and ushering the three inside quickly before they could get caught.

Instantly, Stella froze while Newt helped Mr. Kowalski inside and Miss Goldstein hastily shut the door behind them.

There, in front of the fireplace, was a drying rack… that was floating by itself.

She stared it, as did Mr. Kowalski though the man seemed to think it was all a dream and just snorted amusedly at the sight. Stella wished she could be as naïve – but she had a sinking feeling in her gut that this was all, indeed, real. And as her boss, Michael Forster, always said: trust the gut, Rowland, even when you can't trust your eyes.

"Teenie." A voice called from the inner doorway, making Stella start. "You brought men home."

Stella glanced over to see a woman, maybe an inch shorter than her and perhaps a year or two younger, with blonde curly hair and baby blue eyes staring at them from just inside the sitting room doorway. She was very beautiful, and with curves that would make any actress or poster-girl cry. But what made Stella blink was the fact that the woman was dressed in only a pink, low-cut slip that definitely left very little to the imagination.

Miss Goldstein seemed unaffected as she answered by introducing, "Gentlemen, Miss Rowland, this is my sister."

The young woman beamed at them, and Stella gave an awkward wave, which the woman replied to with an enthusiastic one of her own, before Tina Goldstein added pointedly, "Want to put something on, Queenie?"

"Oh. Sure." Queenie replied, as though suddenly remembering her state of undress, while Tina removed her cloche.

Stella watched in a mixture of amazement and uncertainty as Queenie Goldstein turned and flicked her own wooden stick, which Stella now realized must be these wizards and witches' wands, to bring a dress flying over so that… it could dress her.

Stella blinked before shaking her head, starting to feel overwhelmed by the sheer impossibility of all she had seen so far, before glancing back as she felt movement behind her. Newt had moved to the windows, and he seemed very preoccupied, staring intently outside as though searching for something anxiously.

"So?"

Queenie's voice brought her attention back to the beautiful woman as Queenie asked her sister curiously, "Who are they?"

"That's Mr. Scamander." Tina began introducing as she gathered up the clothes drying on the racks and quickly placed them away out of sight. "He's committed a serious infraction of the National Statute of Secrecy."

Stella glanced back at Newt at that, just in time to catch him grimace, while Queenie asked with wide, intrigued eyes, "He's a criminal?"

"Uh huh." Tina confirmed dismissively, before nodding at the other two as she added, "And that's Mr. Kowalski, and Miss Rowland. They're No-Mages."

Mr. Kowalski gave a small wave, while Stella frowned and Queenie repeated in amazement, "A No-Mag?"

She seemed unusually excited as she looked at her sister, but Stella interrupted, puzzled, "Sorry, what's a No-Mag?"

"It stands for non-magical." Tina explained. "As in, people like you."

"So, it's the same as Muggle?" Stella checked, and Tina nodded as she said, "It's just a difference of what Americans and the British call non-magical people."

"I see." Stella muttered, before adding under her breath, "All things considered, I think I prefer Muggle."

Tina didn't hear her, as Queenie was asking her curiously, "Teen, what are you up to?"

"He's sick. It's a long story." Tina explained shortly as she nodded at Mr. Kowalski before looking at Newt as she added, "Mr. Scamander has lost something I'm going to help him find."

Newt glanced over again warily while Stella glanced at him uncertainly, but Queenie's eyes had fallen on Mr. Kowalski again and she exclaimed in concern, "Oh. You need to sit down, honey."

Mr. Kowalski didn't need to be told twice as he almost fell into a nearby chair, his legs seemingly giving out beneath him. Stella glanced at him in concern while Queenie gasped, "He hasn't eaten anything all day."

'… _Wait, what?_ ' Stella threw an incredulous look at the young woman as Queenie hurried over, coming to stand before Mr. Kowalski as she stared at the man with worried eyes.

"And… oh, that's rough." Queenie sighed sympathetically while Mr. Kowalski stared up at her in confusion. "He didn't get the money that he wanted for his bakery. You bake, honey?"

She abruptly lit up as she directed her last question at Mr. Kowalski with great interest.

Stella's brows furrowed while Mr. Kowalski blinked before he said dumbly, "Uh…"

He gestured a little vaguely at Queenie, but she seemed to understand his answer and question instantly as she answered with a bright smile, "I love to cook."

"You're a Legilimens?" Newt chipped in suddenly, looking at Queenie with surprise, and Stella glanced at him and then back at Queenie as the woman nodded and replied easily, "Mm, yeah. But I always have trouble with your kind."

She gestured at Newt and – to her surprise – Stella.

"Brits." Queenie explained in answer to their confused expressions. "It's the accent."

Stella's eyes widened as she realized what 'Legilimens' had to mean, while at the same time Mr. Kowalski seemed to make the same connection as he asked Queenie uncertainly, "You, um, you know how to read minds?"

"Oh, don't worry, honey." Queenie answered easily with a fond smile at Mr. Kowalski. "Most guys think what you was thinkin' first time they see me."

Stella's brow shot up while Mr. Kowalski seemed torn between amusement and embarrassment, but Queenie was unaffected as she said to the man with a soft giggle, "Now you. Need. Food."

With that and another warm smile, she turned and made her way towards the kitchen, Tina following her. Stella leaned in to hiss at Newt, "Is that Legili-something common amongst wizards?"

"Not common, no." He admitted distractedly. "It's a rare gift to be able to wield it to that level of proficiency, almost as rare as the gift of prophecy."

"Prophecy?" Stella echoed, eyes almost popping out as she stared at Newt.

She looked back at the kitchen while Newt glanced back out the window, and Stella blinked.

She was tempted to rub her eyes as she watched both Queenie and Tina lift their wands and – with simple flicks and twirls – had plates, cutlery, table cloth and napkins flying around the tabletop while food began to chop, stir and cook on their own.

"Hotdog again?" Queenie asked randomly, and Tina scolded, "Don't read my mind."

"Not a very wholesome lunch." Queenie observed, and Stella realized with a start that she'd seen Tina earlier that very day – outside the bank, in the crowd around the New Salemers. The woman had been eating a hotdog while peering inconspicuously at the preaching woman.

Stella frowned, wondering why a worker for the US Magical government had been at the New Salemers preaching. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she missed Mr. Kowalski stumbling to the dining table, staring with wide eyes at the sight before him, while behind them Newt slowly started to sneak his way towards the front door.

Newt had just reached for the doorknob when Queenie suddenly called, "Hey, Mr. Scamander."

He froze as Stella also glanced back curiously at Queenie's call, before the British blonde woman's eyes narrowed just slightly. She seemed to have worked something out as her brown eyes lifted to meet his, but what he couldn't say.

And before he could ponder her, or Queenie's abrupt call, the American blonde had turned to him and asked with a smile, "You prefer pie or strudel?"

Newt blinked, before he answered with his usual nervousness, "I really don't have a preference."

Tina cocked her head, while Stella stared at Newt for a moment longer before turning away, and Queenie grinned at Mr. Kowalski as she almost purred, "Well, you prefer strudel, huh honey?"

Mr. Kowalski smiled back, nodding enthusiastically, and Queenie beamed as she asked, "And you, Miss Rowland?"

"Strudel is fine with me." Stella answered politely, and Queenie smiled again as she said firmly, "Strudel it is, then."

Stella's brows shot up, and her lips parted slightly in shock as Queenie waved her wand, and – right before their very eyes – the separate ingredients for strudel came together and mixed, shaped, and baked themselves into the most perfect looking strudel Stella had ever seen. And it wasn't just the shape that was impressive – the smell rising from the freshly baked (within a minute!) strudel was absolutely mouthwatering.

' _If cooking was always this simple,_ ' she thought in amazement, ' _I'd always cook my own meals instead of eating out all the time._ '

While she was gawking – not that she was alone, for Mr. Kowalski was just as, if not more so, impressed by the sights they were witnessing – Tina offered, "Well, sit down, Miss Rowland, Mr. Scamander."

Stella blinked, before glancing back again at the awkward man behind her as she saw Newt hesitating by the door, and looking – if anything – even more uncomfortable now than he had been before. Though Stella thought she had a good idea why.

Not wanting to take the chance that Queenie would read and understand her thoughts, Stella encouraged lightly, "Come on, Mr. Scamander. Even if they poison us, at least it's with good food."

Tina raised a brow while Queenie burst into giggles as she said, "Oh, honey, I'd never poison you. But I do like your priorities - and sense of humour."

She winked, and Stella smiled good-naturedly before looking back at Newt one more time before she took a seat at the table beside Mr. Kowalski. Newt hesitated a fraction of a second longer before he ultimately gave in and came over, timidly taking the seat beside Stella as the Goldstein sisters also took their seats at the dinner table.


	5. Briefcase

"The job ain't that glamorous." Queenie was saying in response to yet another of Mr. Kowalski's – silent - question. "I mean I spend most days making coffee and, and jinxing the john."

She grinned, before lifting her head slightly from where she'd been leaning it on her hand while she stared almost adoringly at Mr. Kowalski across the table from her. She nodded at her sister as she added, "Tina's the career girl."

Tina smiled very uncomfortably – not that she was alone. Both Newt and Stella were also fidgeting, Stella from her own growing discomfort while Newt from his nervousness, as they had been for almost the whole dinner.

Only Queenie and Mr. Kowalski seemed to be enjoying themselves, engaging in conversation though it was mostly spoken on Queenie's side as she read his mind before he even needed to formulate his sentences aloud.

Like now.

"Nah, we're orphans." Queenie answered Mr. Kowalski's thought question. "Ma and Pa died of dragonpox when we were kids."

She suddenly lit up as she said to Mr. Kowalski with a smile, "Oh. You're sweet. But we've got each other."

She smiled at Tina again – the woman really smiled a lot – while Mr. Kowalski smiled uncertainly before he finally asked, "Could you stop… reading my mind for a second?"

"Oh." Queenie blinked, instantly looking sheepish and a little dejected, and Mr. Kowalski quickly reassured, "Don't get me wrong, I, uh, I love it."

Instantly, Queenie brightened and both she and Mr. Kowalski laughed while Stella cringed internally.

Although both of them seemed like very nice people from what she had gathered from listening to their conversation throughout dinner, Stella was _not_ one for flirting. Despite her classic looks – as she had been kindly informed by several men trying to make a pass at her – Stella was not a flirt and never had managed to learn the 'art'. Nor did she feel comfortable around flirting… though, she supposed, few people did.

"This meal, it's insanely good." Mr. Kowalski was saying, and even Stella could tell he was being genuine. "And this is what I do, I'm a, I'm a cook, and, and this is like… the greatest meal I've ever had in my life!"

"Oh, you slay me!" Queenie laughed excitedly, as both she and Mr. Kowalski smiled, before Queenie leaned in, saying seriously, "I've never really talked to a No-Mag before."

"Huh." Mr. Kowalski answered, leaning in to Queenie as well. "Really?"

Stella cringed again inside, before starting as Queenie suddenly blinked before leaning back and saying almost petulantly, "I am not flirting."

The other three table occupants blinked, clearly all guilty of the thought, but it seemed Queenie had only understood it from Tina as she glanced at her sister almost reproachfully.

Tina sighed, clearly placed into an uncomfortable spot, but she explained to her younger sister, "I'm just saying, don't go getting attached. He's going to have to be obliviated."

Mr. Kowalski didn't really react, busy swiping his clammy forehead, but Stella winced this time. Tina caught it, and she sent the woman an apologetic look as she said to both the blonde Brit and Mr. Kowalski, "It's nothing personal."

It was then that Queenie finally noticed Mr. Kowalski's rather sickly pallor and she asked in concern, "Oh, hey. Are you okay, honey? You look-"

"Miss Goldstein," Newt finally spoke up for the first time since dinner started, "I think Mr. Kowalski could do with a early night. Besides, you and I will need to be up early tomorrow morning to find my Niffler, so…"

He trailed off awkwardly, and Stella glanced at him while Queenie frowned and turned to her sister as she asked, "What's a Niffler?"

"Don't ask." Tina answered, sounding almost strained, before she nodded at her guests as she said, "Okay, you guys can bunk in here."

She motioned for them to follow her, and Stella caught the almost frustrated look that passed across Newt's face. She quickly turned her face away, not wanting to give away her thoughts to anyone – least of all Tina's sister.

* * *

Stella only had to wait one hour.

After Queenie stopped by to give her a hot chocolate and another warm smile – which made Stella feel a twinge of guilt – and she heard the Goldstein sisters' room door close, Stella quickly threw off her blankets and crept as silently as she could out of her own designated room.

She almost felt bad – almost. After all, the sisters were really nice people inside.

But she couldn't just sit back and let them erase her memories, and if her suspicions were correct then Newt Scamander might just be the person who could help her. And he would, she was certain, because of his own problems that Stella thought she understood.

Stella made her way quickly and silently to the gentlemen's room, and after checking that neither of the sisters appeared to have heard her, she slid the men's room door open.

And blinked.

Mr. Kowalski blinked back at her from his spot on the ground… the lower half his body stuck _inside_ Newt's suitcase.

Stella's jaw dropped – seriously, when would she see the limit to these wizards' magic? – while Mr. Kowalski shrugged at her as though he understood her sentiments exactly. Also, he shrugged because… he was stuck.

The suitcase was a little tight around his generous waistline; and though Stella wasn't sure how he'd gotten that deep in the first place, he apparently could neither go further in nor come back out.

"Uh… hi." Mr. Kowalski said awkwardly and Stella took a deep, calming breath.

The suitcase owner himself was nowhere to be seen, and Stella had the abrupt realization that there was only one place he _could_ be if Mr. Kowalski had been trying to get into the suitcase.

"Bloody hell." She whispered before quickly slipping into the room and shutting the door. She hurried over to Mr. Kowalski, though she was uncertain if she should take his hand and pull or if she should shove his shoulders down.

Deciding on the latter, especially if she wanted to get where she wanted, she'd just knelt down behind Mr. Kowalski and placed her hands on his shoulders when he was suddenly sucked inside the case.

"Eep!" Stella yelped as she tumbled in after the man, and the suitcase snapped shut behind her, looking once more for all the world like an innocent, regular suitcase.

Stella meanwhile barely saved herself from crashing down the wooden ladder after Mr. Kowalski by just managing to hang on to the top rung as her foot found a footing below.

Heart thundering, she took a deep breath before glancing down to see Mr. Kowalski had landed with a crash at the bottom… of what appeared to be a wooden work shed.

Stella's eyes went wide, as did Mr. Kowalski's as both Muggles gawked around them while Newt – no longer wearing his coat and with his shirt sleeves rolled up - said calmly from the corner of the room where he had been working on something, "Please sit down."

He glanced up, and – seeing only Mr. Kowalski before him – asked, "Oh, did Miss Rowland not join you? I rather thought she would…"

He trailed off as he lifted his eyes higher and spotted the woman basically hanging up high on the wooden ladder. Whilst wearing a skirt.

Newt's face flamed bright red as he hastily lowered his eyes while Stella raised a brow – it somehow didn't surprise her in the slightest that this man was clearly innocent, at least sexually.

She climbed down as Newt sought to regain his composure by checking on Mr. Kowalski's neck while the other man settled down onto the stool in the corner of the shed.

Newt examined the bite mark just as Stella reached the bottom, and he murmured, "That's definitely the murtlap. You must be particularly susceptible."

He moved to a different part of the shed, gathering some things from different shelves as he explained to Mr. Kowalski, "See, you're a Muggle. So our physiologies are slightly different, though the murtlap doesn't appear to have affected Miss Rowland nearly as much."

"Stella, please." Stella interjected as she looked around the shed with great interest before glancing at Newt.

"What are you working on?" She asked curiously as she walked over, and Newt glanced up, startled.

"Oh, um, a healing concoction." He explained, his nervous stutter back, and Stella almost raised a brow.

Backing away to give the poor man some space as she recognized a socially awkward person, Stella answered lightly, "I see."

She moved back, watching as Newt calmed down, and almost instantly became a different person. His expression became more serious and focused as he worked, and his posture and manners straightened as he moved about efficiently and effortlessly.

Finally finishing his quick work, he turned and approached Mr. Kowalski once more, rubbing the ointment he'd created onto Mr. Kowalski's neck.

"Ew." Mr. Kowalski muttered as he felt the slimy mixture against his skin, but Newt informed him firmly, "Stay still."

He squeezed something else into Mr. Kowalski's neck, making him wince, before muttering as he turned away while placing a pill in Mr. Kowalski's hand, "Now that should stop the sweating. And one of those should stop the twitch."

Mr. Kowalski looked at Newt doubtfully before glancing at Stella. She shrugged, as though asking 'what's the worst that could happen?' and he seemed to agree as he tossed the pill into his mouth.

Immediately, he pulled a face and Stella stifled a giggle while Newt continued, "I think, Miss Rowland, you should be fine but if you feel even the slightest bit ill then please let me know and I can get you treated as well."

Stella looked over at Newt as he stood at his work table with his back to them once more. She had the distinct impression that he wanted to avoid examining her - even just her hand - too closely, and it once again solidified her impression that he was very naive when it came to women.

She glanced at Mr. Kowalski, who seemed to agree with her once more - he shrugged at her, and Stella smiled; when a sharp thunk made them both look back at Newt. Stella blinked as she watched him go at a thick chunk of meat, the size of a small pig, with a cleaver. She almost asked, but refrained for the moment, simply watching as he tossed the pieces of meat into a pail before he turned back to the pair.

"You take that." He ordered as he handed the pail to Mr. Kowalski. "Miss- Stella," he corrected at her raised brows, "if you wouldn't mind."

He held out a small bag of what appeared to be golden seeds, and Stella took it with interest as Newt turned away once more, moving to the corner of the room.

He picked up a small test tube, before reaching into his jacket and pulling something out. He squeezed whatever was in his hand, and both Stella and Mr. Kowalski watched, burning with curiosity, as a neon blue liquid was released into the tube.

"Come on." Newt muttered, and Stella crept over to peek while Mr. Kowalski asked at last, "What you got there?"

"Oh, this?" Newt answered, still focused on the creature hidden inside his fist. "The locals call it the Swooping Evil."

"Charming." Stella noted, and Newt almost started as he finally realized she was right behind him while she peered at his hand curiously.

He recovered quickly, however, and agreed, "It's not the friendliest of names. It's quite an agile fellow."

He finished filling his test tube, and he sealed it swiftly before he opened his hand, revealing a spiky, cocooned ball that looked almost like a bouncy ball, as he continued, "I've been studying him, and I'm pretty sure that his venom could be quite useful if properly diluted."

"Venom?" Stella repeated, as she peered at the ball from a safer distance, and Newt explained, "Yes, but I think it could remove bad memories, you know?"

He suddenly flicked out his hand, and Stella sucked in a quick breath as the ball suddenly expanded out into some kind of a bird creature. It had the same bumpy texture it had in its smaller cocoon shape, and it was the same greenish colour with hints of blue lining its insides.

Mr. Kowalski flinched in surprise, while Stella recovered and she marveled, "It's a beautiful creature."

Newt glanced at her, startled, but seeing the genuine wonder and amazement on her face, he asked tentatively, "Would you… would you like to touch it?"

"Can I?" Stella asked, turning wide eyes on Newt, and he blinked, thrown by the bright excitement in the brown depths.

"If, if you would like." He stammered, making Mr. Kowalski raise a brow.

The man kept quiet, however, as Stella nodded eagerly, and Newt carefully herded the Swooping Evil onto Stella's outstretched wrist. Newt watched as Stella stared at the bird-creature with absolute fascination, taking in every detail. It was almost like a cross between a bird and a reptile, with almost phoenix-like features in its strangely shaped head and a crocodile-like quality with its bumpy, green skin.

"Is it safe to touch it?" Stella asked softly, keeping her eyes trained on the magical beast perched on her wrist as the creature stared back at her, and Newt answered just as softly, "Yes, but be very, very slow. You don't want to startle it."

Stella carefully lifted her free hand, moving it slowly and carefully towards the beast. It cocked its head at her, but didn't move as Stella's hand inched its way closer.

Both Newt and Stella – and Mr. Kowalski – held their breath as Stella's hand made contact with the Swooping Evil. It didn't move, so Stella carefully traced her fingertips along its back, stroking it gently, and she was pleased when it closed its eyes and made a cooing noise.

"Would you look at that?" Mr. Kowalski marveled, and Stella smiled while Newt noted, "You've gained its trust."

"You're beautiful." Stella told the beast softly, before almost jumping in shock as it started to _cry_.

"Mr. Scamander?" She asked, trying to keep calm under her panic, and he said quickly as he scrambled for another flask, "Ah, yes, that can happen. It's remarkable. Don't worry though."

"This isn't the venom, is it?" Stella demanded, though she kept her tone as casual as possible to not startle the beast even as she panicked internally when the teardrops dripped and landed on her wrist. "Mr. Scamander?!"

"No, no, the tears are not harmful." Newt reassured quickly. "Actually, interestingly enough, the Swooping Evil's tears work opposite to its venom. I haven't quite studied all of it, but I believe it can counteract the effects of the venom."

"Huh." Stella commented, glancing at Newt briefly before looking back at the Swooping Evil. "If it can do both, how come it has such an unfavourable name amongst 'the locals'?"

"Well, I don't think they know about the Swooping Evil's tears." Newt explained as he gently gathered some of the tears in a flask. "There is quite a lot that the magical community has yet to learn about the magical creatures it shares its world with. And I hope to study it."

"Inside your suitcase?" Stella teased lightly, and the faintest hint of a genuine smile appeared on Newt's face.

"Yes – for now." He answered before he recalled the Swooping Evil into his palm.

"Oh, and it's Newt." He added, and Stella asked in confusion, "What?"

"It, It's not Mr. Scamander, but Newt." He explained, not looking at her as he fiddled with tucking the Swooping Evil back into his pocket. "If, if I'm to call you by your first name, it should only be fair-"

"Okay. Newt, it is." Stella answered warmly, and Newt glanced at her briefly before looking away awkwardly again.

Mr. Kowalski snorted quietly while Stella suppressed a laugh, as Newt turned away quickly, saying, "Now, come on."

He walked out the work shed door – to Stella's surprise. She'd thought it was more there for decorative purposes; she didn't think it would _actually_ open.

' _How big is this suitcase?_ ' She wondered as she and Mr. Kowalski followed Newt out the door.

And then both stopped dead.

Mr. Kowalski's eyes widened while Stella's jaw dropped once more.

"Oh, my God." She whispered, and Mr. Kowalski got out in awe, "Uh huh."

The pair almost staggered their way over to where Newt was standing at the edge of an open desert, which seemed to expand for miles around, while other landscapes existed on different sides of the work shed.

Stella briefly saw a savannah-like landscape and a mountainous landscape from the corner of her eye, but she soon became fully focused on the incredible spectacle before her.

A thunderstorm was starting to brew in the desert, heavy rainclouds swirling in the sky as it spilled thick droplets of water down onto the earth below. Newt was unaffected, standing before a rock platform with his wand pointed right above his head. It appeared to be acting like an umbrella as the raindrops simply hit an invisble bubble above Newt's head before sliding off harmlessly to the side and leaving the wizard dry.

But that wasn't even the best part.

Stella's eyes were wide as she stared, transfixed, at the enormous griffon-like beast with golden feathers that was flying above their heads. The bird-like creature also appeared to be what was causing the storm as lightning flashed and thunder clapped in time to the beat of its majestic wings as it slowly descended towards Newt.

"Come on!" Newt called encouragingly at the beast as it screeched loudly and proudly. "Down you come! Come on."

The creature landed heavily on the rock platform, the thunderstorm dissipating instantly with its landing, and Newt easily switched off the spell for his makeshift umbrella before he tucked his wand away and pulled out a treat from his other pocket.

"Ah, thank Paracelsus." Newt sighed as the creature lowered its bird-like head and allowed Newt to pat him while it eyed the treat clasped in his other hand. "If you had got out, that could have been quite catastrophic."

Newt glanced back at his awed companions as he explained, "See, he's the real reason I came to America."

Stella's eyes widened even further as she managed to tear her eyes away from the magnificent creature to stare at Newt with wonder. He smiled, the first genuine smile since the whole fiasco had started, before turning back to the creature as he petted the beast's head while it nudged its head against him fondly.

"To bring Frank home." Newt murmured.

"What _is_ he?" Stella asked curiously, and Newt explained as he rubbed Frank's head gently, "He is a thunderbird. And very proud of it, aren't you. Frank?"

Frank squawked back, and Stella had to stifle a laugh – it had sounded proud even then. Mr. Kowalski meanwhile took a numb step forward, still staring with wide eyes at the fantastic beast, and the creature screeched sharply.

Newt glanced back at its warning cry, and he said quickly, "Wait, no sorry, stay there. He's awfully, a bit, sensitive to strangers."

Mr. Kowalski paused while Newt turned back to Frank, holding his head in place calmingly as the beast eyed the two newcomers warily, and Newt soothed, "Here you are, here you are."

As Frank calmed down, Newt explained without taking his eyes off the beast, "He was trafficked, you see."

Stella sucked in a sharp breath while Newt continued, "Found him in Egypt; he was all chained up. I couldn't leave him there - I had to bring him back."

' _That's awful_.' Stella thought, wondering how anyone could be so cruel as to do such a thing to a creature so beautiful, so _free_. It was obvious, even to her, that this beast belonged in the wild, where it could stretch its powerful wings and cry its proud call loudly for all to hear. ' _Perhaps… wizards aren't that different from us after all, then. There are good ones… and bad ones._ '

Newt ruffled Frank's head, oblivious to Stella's thoughts, as he murmured to the thunderbird, "I'm going to put you back where you belong, aren't I, Frank? To the wilds of Arizona."

He smiled, a full-fledged smile before letting go of the beast as it reared its head back and called out, spreading his wings wide.

Newt lifted the treat in his hand, letting Frank see it, before he threw it high up into the air and Frank took off immediately. Swooping up high into the sky, he caught the treat before flying off again, screeching as he went.


	6. Fantastic beasts

Stella watched with reverence as the thunderbird flew off, the sunlight glinting off its golden feathers, while Newt sighed almost contently before he turned to the side. Placing his hands before his mouth, he emitted a strange howling call before pausing and staring into the distance.

Another grin erupted across his face before Newt hurried back to Mr. Kowalski, grabbing the meat pail from the man as he hurried off to the side. Stella followed him, passed a swamp-like area and towards a savannah region cast in the darkness of night unlike Frank's sunlit desert region.

She could see other amazing creatures as she went, and while Newt called his strange cry one more time into the distant savannah mountains, Stella continued to look around the giant magical world that she'd found herself in.

And as Mr. Kowalski joined them, looking as awed as she did, Stella was very tempted to say to the man, 'Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.'

But then, Newt murmured excitedly, "All right, here they come" and Stella turned to look once more towards the savannah plains.

"Here who comes?" Mr. Kowalski asked a little nervously, and Newt answered in explanation just as they all heard the thundering of heavy hooves, "Graphorns."

Mr. Kowalski flinched back with a gasp of fear as a beast that looked like a cross between a buffalo with red skin and some strange, one-eyed alien with tentacle-like strings on its face came charging up towards them. Mr. Kowalski squealed in fear as the beast came to a stop at the savannah edge, snorting and stomping its feet, but Newt soothed with a laugh, "You're all right. You're all right."

He took Mr. Kowalski by the hand and kept the man in place, while Stella – not needing the help – stepped forward herself though she carefully kept behind Newt just in case she frightened the creature.

"Oh!" Mr. Kowalski whimpered as Newt came right up close next to the beast, murmuring softly, "Hello. Hello."

The alien's tentacles glomped over Newt's shoulders and head, almost like it was hugging or kissing him, and Stella breathed quietly, "Is it a he or a she?"

"This one's male." Newt explained just as softly, holding out his free hand towards her without turning away from the Graphorn. "Would you like to say hello?"

"Yes." Stella breathed, while Mr. Kowalski shot her a look of disbelief at her bravery.

Newt smiled at the Graphorn as Stella carefully took his hand and let him pull her gently closer.

"Hello. Easy, now." He murmured as the Graphorn turned its attention to Stella. "Say hello to Stella."

"Hi." Stella murmured, and she giggled as the Graphorn moved its tentacles over her face this time. They were soft, which surprised her, and gentle, and Stella smiled as the Graphorn harrumphed as though in greeting.

"He likes you." Newt told her as he set his pail down, and Stella murmured as she carefully lifted her hand to stroke the Graphorn's head, "I like him, too."

Newt grinned, especially when another Graphorn appeared from the misty darkness while a smaller, clearly baby Graphorn came romping down around Mr. Kowalski. The man blinked but, gaining courage from Stella's display, he reached out and gently petted the baby as Newt explained, "See, they are the last breeding pair in existence. If I hadn't rescued them, that could've been the end of Graphorns forever."

Stella and Mr. Kowalski glanced at Newt curiously, while he bent over the pail muttering, "All right!"

He tossed chunks of meat around, letting the creatures run and fetch it for themselves, while Mr. Kowalski asked a little breathlessly, "What, you rescue these creatures?"

"Yes, that's right." Newt explained. "Rescue, nurture, and protect them, and I'm gently trying to educate my fellow Wizards about them."

"Sort of like a zoologist." Stella murmured, a hint of teasing in her voice, and Newt glanced at her.

"Magizoologist." He explained softly with a shy smile, which she answered to with a beaming one of her own.

Newt blushed a little, and said hastily, "Come on."

Stella followed while Mr. Kowalski raised a brow and smirked at them, before shaking his head and following quickly as Newt led the way up a short flight of red-coloured metal stairs and into a different area of his suitcase once more.

"Wow!" Mr. Kowalski gasped as they found themselves in a more humid, forest-like area.

It appeared to be almost like the Himalayan forest areas with the bamboo trees, and Stella was also looking around with wide eyes as Newt made his way through the trees, calling, "All right, Titus, Finn, Poppy, Marlow, Tom?"

Stella started as she saw a green, stick-like creature perched on Newt's hands as it walked all over them while he kept rotating his hands to let it roam as it pleased while it cooed strange little bird-like noises.

"What is he?" Stella asked curiously as she watched the creature, almost running headlong into a tree as she did, and Newt explained, "His name's Pickett, and he's a Bowtruckle. He had a cold, and needed some body warmth."

"He's adorable." Stella sighed as they stopped before a small baobab-like tree, while Mr. Kowalski agreed as he cooed, "Aw."

Newt grinned at them before nodding at the tree and Stella's eyes lit up as she realized that the 'twigs' on the tree were actually moving, and they were actually more Bowtruckles – five if she'd counted correctly.

"Titus… Tom?" She guessed, remembering the names Newt had been calling, and he nodded as he pointed them out, "Titus, Finn, Marlow, Poppy's back there, and Tom."

He then held out his hand, letting Pickett stand on it as he told him, "Right, on you hop!"

However, Pickett didn't move, just staring at the tree and his fellows, and Mr. Kowalski laughed, "Oh!"

"See, he has some attachment issues." Newt sighed, before saying sternly, "Now, come on, Pickett."

He held up his other hand, intending to nudge the stubborn Bowtruckle onto the tree branches where his fellows were hanging, but the Bowtruckle stepped back onto his hand instead, moving away from the tree.

"Pickett." Newt repeated sternly, and Pickett let out a small creaking noise.

"No, they're not going to bully you," Newt promised, "now come on."

He stopped letting the Bowtruckle wander on his hands, removing one hand. The Bowtruckle, who had been backing away in place on Newt's moving hands, didn't see that it would now be stepping on thin air and dropped.

"Oh!" Stella gasped, stepping forward with her hand outstretched to catch the Bowtruckle, but it was fine as it latched its spidery little fingers onto Newt's fingers and hung on, as though for dear life, away from the tree.

"Pickett!" Newt scolded, but the Bowtruckle just whined, making squeaky little noises that almost made Stella laugh while Newt sighed.

"All right."

He caved into the Bowtruckle's demands like a doting parent, though he added sternly, "But that is exactly why they accuse me of favouritism."

"He's a spoilt little thing." Stella laughed as Newt retracted his hand and let Pickett onto his shoulder while Mr. Kowalski remained behind to examine the other Bowtruckles in their natural habitat.

The Bowtruckle on Newt's shoulder eyed her, as though judging her, while Newt chuckled as he admitted, "Yes, he is. And I don't think I'm helping it, to be honest."

"No," Stella agreed as she carefully lifted her hand and reached out a finger towards Pickett, "I don't think you are."

Pickett smacked her finger away, making her laugh while Newt scolded, appalled, "Pickett!"

"It's all right." Stella reassured as Pickett huffed and folded his little arms, making little noises of protest at Newt.

"My apologies." Stella addressed Pickett, and the Bowtruckle looked at her. " _May_ I pet you?"

Pickett made small noises of indignation, but let his arms drop so Stella took her chances as she reached forward once more. This time, Pickett took her hand and scampered on, scurrying up the length of her arm while Stella laughed as the Bowtruckle planted himself smugly on her shoulder.

"Oh, you _are_ a precocious little thing aren't you?" Stella laughed. "A bit impetuous too."

"Sorry about him." Newt said sheepishly, but Stella waved his apologies away as she replied lightly, "It's all right. He's _just_ cute enough to get away with it; though I think he's aware of that, aren't you Pickett?"

She grinned at the Bowtruckle as he chirped back smugly at her, making her laugh again.

Newt smiled, relaxing as he turned away, before he sighed, "Oh no, Dougal's gone."

Stella looked over to see an empty round wooden ball hanging from a tree, almost like a round birdhouse.

It was clearly some creature's bed, with feathers stuffed inside it, while at the base of the tree the nest hung from was a large twig nest filled with squawking little creatures that looked like blue feathered snakes with the heads of a bird. Surrounding them were broken pieces of shells, indicating the creatures weren't that old yet.

"All right, I'm coming." Newt said hurriedly as he came over, kneeling by the nest and calming the little creatures down. "I'm coming, mum's here, mum's here. Hello. Let me take a look at you."

He reached inside and gently picked up one of the creatures, when Mr. Kowalski wandered over at last and he chuckled, "I know these guys."

Stella looked at him in surprise, while Newt smiled and held out the creature he was holding, saying, "Your occamy."

"What do you mean, _my_ occamy?" Mr. Kowalski answered, confused, and Newt explained, "He's the one who hatched in your pocket, back at the bank."

"How was he hatched in a bank?" Stella asked, confused, and Newt said hastily, "Er, long story. But yes, so he's yours."

He nodded at Mr. Kowalski, whose eyes went huge. Newt gestured his head at the occamy as he asked, "Do you want to, um…"

"Oh." Mr. Kowalski blinked while Stella's eyes lit up once more as she watched excitedly.

Mr. Kowalski gulped but nodded as he said, "Oh, wow, yeah, sure. Okay."

Newt gently slipped the occamy onto the other man's hands, and Mr. Kowalski squeaked, "Ah!"

But as the occamy nestled comfortably in his hands, and chirped happily up at him, Mr. Kowalski's face broke into a smile and he murmured, "Hey."

Newt grinned before turning away while Stella leaned in to stare at the occamy lovingly. Mr. Kowalski was staring at the occamy with a similar expression and, impulsively, he lifted one hand away from the beast and towards its head, intending to pat it.

Unfortunately, it didn't like that and nipped at his hand instantly. Mr. Kowalski withdrew his hand quickly before he could get bitten, and Stella also blinked – startled – as the occamy let out a sharp, warning cry.

"Oh wait, sorry, no," Newt said quickly, turning back to see what had happened. "Don't pet them."

"Why not?" Stella asked, puzzled. The other creatures hadn't seemed to mind at all, and the occamy had seemed so tame until that point.

"They learn to defend themselves early." Newt explained before gesturing at the nest. "See, their shells are made of silver so they're incredibly valuable."

"Oh…" Stella murmured, glancing down at the shells. Now that he mentioned it, she could see the shiny interiors of the shells, glinting silver in the artificial sunlight around them.

"Okay." Mr. Kowalski murmured as he resumed just holding the occamy, and Stella murmured, "They must be hunted so much then."

"Their nests tend to get ransacked by hunters." Newt agreed quietly, and Stella nodded. She could see why he guarded these creatures now – wizards really weren't that different from her people. They were all still human in the end.

As Newt took he occamy back from Mr. Kowalski, the latter said slowly, "Mr. Scamander?"

"Oh, call me Newt." Newt offered as he placed the occamy gently back down in its nest, and Mr. Kowalski corrected, "Newt. I don't think I'm dreaming."

Stella glanced at the man as he slowly turned to look around, while Newt questioned, "What gave it away?"

"I ain't got the brains to make this up." Mr. Kowalski answered bluntly, but very honestly.

Stella smiled, silently agreeing while Newt glanced over at the two Muggles in a mix of surprise and amusement.

"Actually," Newt suggested gently, "would you mind throwing some of those pellets over to the mooncalves over there?"

He gestured at another nearby pail, filled with strange little pellets, and Mr. Kowalski blinked before agreeing, "Yeah, sure."

"Just over there." Newt gestured as he pointed to the side, towards another dark rocky area of the magical almost zoo.

Mr. Kowalski headed off with the pail, while Newt gestured to Stella.

"Stella, if you please."

She followed him as Newt began to wheel a small wheelbarrow along the path, when he paused as he stared at another underground nest that glinted with shiny objects.

"Bugger." He sighed before moving on. "Niffler's gone. Course he has, little bugger. Any chance to get his hands on something shiny."

"That's the one Miss Goldstein mentioned right?" Stella asked curiously as she followed Newt.

He nodded as he explained, "The Niffler went rampaging around the bank, right after I met Mr. Kowalski. Miss Goldstein found me right after that."

"Ah." Stella said lightly, and Newt glanced at her as they walked.

"So, Miss R… Stella." He corrected as she shot him an amused look. "What were you doing in Mr. Kowalski's apartment to begin with?"

"Oh, I was investigating." Stella answered.

At Newt's blank look, she smiled a little wryly as she explained, "I'm a journalist, and I was sent by the London Times to look into the strange happenings in New York."

"They sent… you?" Newt asked, trying hard not to sound skeptical and offend her. But he couldn't help it when he looked at the beautiful young lady beside him, who looked more like an actress than a news journalist.

"Yes, me." She replied with the patiently suffering air of one who had been through this before. "I've worked hard to be one of the best in the Crime news division back home, and I'm not ready to let someone curse me into forgetting what I was investigating."

"Obliviating you would only make you forget the parts related to magic." Newt interjected in explanation. "Though, I still don't really think you need it – people would just think you were mad. Although, if you were in news, perhaps…"

"I work in _Crime_ news." Stella deadpanned. "Not the gossip column. If I go spouting on about how magic is behind the 'ghost monster' attacks, I'd get sacked on the spot."

"Don't they, er, have laws?" Newt asked, tackling the wrong line of logic, and Stella laughed slightly.

"Not when it's a woman." She answered with a sigh.

Newt glanced at her quickly, but she'd become distracted, her eyes widening once more as they arrived and Newt stopped beside a forest edge. There was a giant lion-like creature roaming about proudly, but instead of a hairy mane, it had a large lump around its neck.

A lump that swelled up like a balloon whenever it roared, causing the spikes that covered the beast's skin to stand out even more prominently.

"What is that?" Stella whispered as Newt carefully made his way around the wild beast before throwing the pinkish hay from his wheelbarrow into the creature's nesting area.

"It's a nundu." Newt explained as he worked about settling the clean straw almost like one would whilst taking care of a horse. "Fierce, but loyal as any creature once you've earned his trust."

"He's magnificent." Stella sighed, before noting wryly, "I seem to be saying that a lot. Sorry, it must be bothersome."

"Not at all." Newt answered, glancing at Stella briefly before hurriedly ducking his head again as he added, "It's rather enjoyable to have someone who can appreciate them."

"Other wizards don't?" Stella asked in surprise as she moved to help Newt, and he answered wryly, "Not normally, no. Usually they're afraid, but it's just because they don't understand these creatures. I hope to fix that."

"How?" Stella asked curiously as Newt straightened up and offered her his hand.

"Well," Newt explained as he helped her climb up a rocky terrain beside the nundu's habitat area, "I'm planning to write a book, an educational book that describes all these creatures and what they are really like; a book that can bridge the gap between the magical people and the magical creatures we live alongside."

"That's impressive." Stella noted with a smile of approval. "And I'm certain you'll get there, Newt. That you'll be able to spread your knowledge and passion."

She stopped to scratch a small pigeon-dodo-like creature with adorably huge eyes as the creature paused to stare at her in the midst of its scurrying about, as she finished admiringly, "I can't see how anyone wouldn't see what you see in these creatures. They're incredible."

Newt smiled shyly though it was slightly strained as he thought about the magical community, especially as he knew it.

But here was a Muggle – two Muggles, he quickly corrected himself – who was able to see the beauty in his creatures, even though they were probably even stranger in her eyes than his fellow wizards'. She had never even seen a goblin, house-elf or a ghost – and yet, she could be stunned into awe by the sight of his precious creatures.

Like now.

Stella turned away from the small creature she'd been petting as it ran off with a cheery chirp, only to be struck dumb as she caught sight of the creatures floating in the air around them. Newt had to smile as Stella carefully, hesitantly lifted a hand and reached a cautious finger out towards the nearest lumino, gently touching and then stroking its long, soft tentacle.

"Oh, my God." She whispered as she caressed the creature, which looked like a glowing squid with extremely long tentacles as it floated about in the night air above the rocks. "Newt, this…"

"Here." Newt nodded to the small bag of seeds he'd given her earlier as he encouraged, "Would you like to help me feed them?"

Stella's eyes were the size of saucers as she stared at him with starry brown eyes before she nodded. Newt smiled again before he showed her how to hold out her hand with a generous amount of the golden seeds and hold it up towards the lumino's mouth area. The beast could then smell the food and used its long tentacle-limbs to scoop up small amounts of the seeds into its mouth.

Newt stepped back then, watching as Stella stood with bated breath, unable to take her eyes off of the feeding luminos that surrounded her and threw her into an ethereal glow – not that she noticed that. But Newt did, and he felt his heart beat just slightly faster as he stared at the beautiful blonde woman, who looked like a goddess amongst the shimmering luminos.

"Thank you, Newt."

He blinked, pulled from his thoughts at Stella's words, and he asked in confusion, "Pardon?"

"Thank you." She repeated, and then as though sensing his continued bewilderment she added in clarification, "For showing this to me, and sharing part of your world with me, and Mr. Kowalski."

"Oh, it, it was no trouble." Newt stammered back, and Stella smiled as she glanced at him with amused eyes.

"I was happy to." Newt added more firmly, and Stella examined his green eyes briefly before – upon seeing the sincerity in them – she gave him a blindingly bright smile.

And though Newt wouldn't ever have the courage to tell her, in that moment, she looked more beautiful to him than all of his fantastic beasts.

*A/N Nice long chapter! I couldn't resist with all the wonderful creatures in JK Rowling's world – I just wish I could have done them better justice in my descriptions.


	7. Magizootopia

It was a much more abashed pair that walked away from the luminos, both fidgeting a little awkwardly as they went.

Newt was secretly marveling to himself how stunning Stella had looked amongst the glowing luminos – living well up to her name's meaning of 'star' – while Stella desperately tried not to remember how green Newt's eyes had been and how brightly they'd shone. Nor the effect they had had on her.

He was no longer just the adorably bumbling man she'd initially met; for in this world within his suitcase, Newt was much surer and more confident in both himself and the creatures he cared about.

And between the two personas of the one man, Stella found herself drawn inexplicably towards Newt – the way his eyes lit up around his beasts, the smile they pulled onto his face, the confidence he exuded contrasted with the embarrassed little grins that appeared when he noticed her.

 _When he noticed her._

Stella shook her head firmly, willing herself not to go there. What was it Tina Goldstein had said? ' _Don't go getting attached._ ' Yes, that was exactly what Stella herself needed to watch out for.

' _He lives in a different world._ ' She reminded herself as they walked in a silence that was both comfortable and uncomfortable. ' _Literally. And you don't have time for a man right now. Besides, he's probably just intrigued to meet a Muggle, female journalist. It's probably like meeting an alien… or a wizard._ '

As Stella – unsuccessfully - tried to convince herself that she didn't care, Newt paused abruptly.

"Oh, no."

Stella looked up, startled, to see Newt was staring at another section of his seemingly never-ending suitcase world. But this section was different from the others – for one, it seemed to be sealed off, the entrance covered by something almost like a curtain or tapestry.

Newt headed carefully inside, and Stella followed him into the tundra-like section, with snow piled everywhere while a biting cold wind blew around them. But what drew Stella's eyes - and probably had also drawn Mr. Kowalski judging from his fascinated stare as he stood before it now – was a dark, shadowy mass. It looked like small black particles swarming around, with more matter than a simple gas cloud but less solid in form than any creature.

The mass was suspended in a strange bubble, and it cracked slightly as though the mass was being held against its will.

Why it was trapped, Stella wasn't sure, but given the shivers the thing was giving her, she had a feeling it was for a very good reason.

As Mr. Kowalski raised a tentative hand towards the bubble, Newt called sharply, "Step back!"

"Jesus!" Mr. Kowalski jumped, clamping a hand over his chest as he recovered from the surprise Newt had given him, but Newt was stern as he repeated, "Step back."

Stella glanced at him, before her gaze flickered back to Mr. Kowalski as the man began curiously, gesturing at the black mass, "What's the matter with-"

"I said, step away." Newt warned, and Stella frowned slightly.

Mr. Kowalski also seemed puzzled, and though he did step back as Newt had ordered, he couldn't help asking as he pointed at the mass, "What the hell is this thing?"

"It's an Obscurus." Newt answered shortly, before he hurried away, leading them all out as he muttered, "I need to get going. Find everyone who's escaped before they get hurt."

"Before _they_ get hurt?" Mr. Kowalski repeated while he and Stella trailed after Newt back into the warmer habitats.

"Yes, Mr. Kowalski." Newt explained patiently. "See, they are currently in alien terrain, surrounded by millions of the most vicious creatures on the planet."

Newt stopped before his shed once more, staring off into an empty African savannah plain as he finished in a murmur.

"Humans."

Stella frowned again, but had to grudgingly conceded a point. Human beings could be kind and compassionate, but they could also be cruel and malicious. She knew that all too well from her line of work.

As Stella and Mr. Kowalski stopped behind Newt, the wizard turned to them as he asked, "So, where would you say that a medium-sized creature, who likes broad open plains, trees, waterholes, that sort of thing. Where, where might she go?"

Stella raised a brow as she looked at the savannah skeptically while Mr. Kowalski asked, also skeptical, "In New York City?"

"Yes." Newt nodded, clearly not really seeing what the problem was, and Mr. Kowalski repeated incredulously, "Plains?"

As Newt just looked at them expectantly, Stella huffed and she suggested as she looked at Mr. Kowalski, "It would have to be Central Park."

"Yeah, only place with large open land." He agreed, and Newt asked, "And where is that exactly?"

Stella rolled her eyes while Mr. Kowalski repeated as though he couldn't believe what he'd just heard, "Where's _Central Park_?"

Newt looked a little hesitant, and Stella interjected, "I'll show you where it is – luckily, I actually know the area where we are. Or, where the Goldstein sisters' apartment is. Central Park's not too far from here."

Newt nodded at her gratefully, before he turned and added to Mr. Kowalski, "You should probably come with us, Mr. Kowalski."

"Why?" He asked with a frown. "Don't you think it's kind of a double-cross?"

Stella raised a brow as Mr. Kowalski listed, "The girls take us in, they make us hot cocoa-"

"You're just saying that because you were very taken with the younger Miss Goldstein." Stella noted dryly, and Newt interjected more seriously, "You do realize that once they see that you've stopped sweating, they will obliviate you in a heartbeat?"

"What's 'obliviate' mean?" Mr. Kowalski asked, confused, and Newt said almost nonchalantly, "Oh, it will be like you wake up and-"

He made a small puckered sound with his mouth.

"All memory of magic, gone."

Mr. Kowalski's eyes widened and he looked at Stella, and around the suitcase world and he realized, "I, I won't remember any of this?"

"No." Newt answered softly, and Mr. Kowalski gaped before looking at Stella.

"That's why you were sticking to him like glue earlier." He murmured, gesturing at Newt, and Stella nodded.

"I knew he was less inclined." She agreed, before looking around the suitcase world as well. "And now… well, I'm even less inclined to let anyone wipe my memory of this."

Newt looked faintly surprised but pleased at their clear admiration for his world, while Jacob sighed, before nodding firmly.

"All right, okay." He agreed as he looked to Newt. "I, I'll help you too."

Stella also looked at Newt, who smiled a little as he said almost lightly, "Well, come on, then."

* * *

 _Moments later_

The trio walked down the New York streets, Stella looking around a little gingerly. It was never really safe out at night, and New York, she knew, was certainly not kind when the sun's glow was gone and the shadows of darkness took over.

Though, she supposed, having a wizard with her did make her feel slightly better. Surely if he could catch the amazing creatures currently stored in his suitcase, he could take out a few rough gangsters?

They'd been trooping down the street in some silence for a while when Newt suddenly spoke up, trying to break the awkward silence.

"I was watching you at dinner."

" _Yeah_ , I noticed." Mr. Kowalski snorted. "Not that it was hard - you didn't really take your eyes off her."

"Who?" Stella asked, puzzled, while Newt asked equally confused, "'Her'?"

"Well, you two." Mr. Kowalski shrugged, gesturing between the two Brits. "You rarely looked at anything other than your plates and each other."

Stella coloured in surprise and embarrassment; she hadn't realized Newt had also been watching her. Newt's face was just as red as he said hastily, "No, no, no, I-I meant, I was watching _you_ , Mr. Kowalski."

"Oh… huh?" Mr. Kowalski asked, blinking in confusion before his eyes widened in slight alarm and he gave Newt a sideward glance.

Stella snorted, her own embarrassment thankfully disappearing as she amused herself with Mr. Kowalski's reaction. Did he think Newt was confessing?

Newt was oblivious to Mr. Kowalski's unease, and he instead said rather abruptly and more than a little bluntly, "People like you, don't they, Mr. Kowalski?"

Stella looked at Newt curiously, wondering at his sudden comment, while Mr. Kowalski said with more surprise, "Oh. Well, uh, I um," he tried to be polite, "I'm sure they like you too, huh?"

"Not really, no, I annoy people." Newt answered frankly, making Stella and Mr. Kowalski blink again.

"Oh." Mr. Kowalski mumbled, but Newt didn't seem to know he'd made them uncomfortable as he asked Mr. Kowalski curiously, "Why did you decide to be a baker?"

"Well, um, cause I'm dyin', in that canning factory." Mr. Kowalski admitted while Stella listened in. "Everyone there's just dying, it just crushes the life outta ya. You like canned food?"

He looked at the pair, and Stella began politely, "Well-"

"No." Newt answered without missing a beat. Stella was tempted to nudge him, worried Newt's rudeness would offend Mr. Kowalski but the man didn't seem to mind.

"Yeah. Me neither." Mr. Kowalski spoke just as bluntly as Newt had. "That's why I wanna make pastries, you know? It makes people happy."

He glanced up at the street sign before adding, "We're going this way."

"It would be faster this way." Stella pointed out, nodding across the street, and Mr. Kowalski agreed.

As they crossed the road, Newt questioned, "So didn't you get your loan?"

"No." The other man scoffed, and Stella made a noise of sympathy. "I ain't got no collateral. Stayed in the army too long, apparently, I don't know."

"You fought in the war?" Newt asked in surprise, and Stella glanced at him while Mr. Kowalski answered in confusion, "Of course I fought in the war, everyone fought in the war."

He paused as the thought that had already occurred to Stella occurred to him now as well.

"You didn't fight in the war?" Mr. Kowalski questioned, and Newt explained, "I work mostly with dragons."

Stella actually stopped walking for a moment, staring at Newt while Mr. Kowalski also gaped while Newt continued nonchalantly, "Ukrainian Ironbellies, eastern front…"

He trailed off as he spotted a broken water fountain tap, while Stella frowned as she stared at the ground.

"Uh… Newt?" She pulled on his jacket sleeve, and Newt turned to look as Stella pointed at tiny pieces of jewels lying in a line on the street, looking almost like the trail of breadcrumbs from Hansel and Gretel.

They followed the trail, Newt leading the way up to a jewelry store just a block down. He crept passed the store window before pulling back slowly and looking and looking inside, an unimpressed look on his face.

Stella's jaw dropped, however, when she saw what appeared to be a cross between a platypus and a small beaver of sorts standing in the display window with two bracelets over its arm. Clearly, it had been trying to fool Newt into not noticing it inside the store as it stood on one of the display tables, pretending to be a stuffed animal display… if not for the slight tremors in its arm. Not that it was all that convincing otherwise anyway.

And as Newt stared at it sternly and with a small amount of disbelief, the bracelets slid off its arm and the creature slowly turned its head to look at Newt. Newt raised a brow, and the Niffler moved instantly, swooping down to grab the diamond bracelets while it dashed off while causing the display table to fall over with a crash.

Newt swiftly pulled out his wand, pointing it at the store window as he stated quickly, "Finestro!"

Stella's eyes widened as the glass shattered instantly, leaving the whole display wide open. Newt didn't seem at all bothered as he stepped quickly inside, moving about the store and pulling open all the drawers and cases of jewels as he searched for his missing Niffler.

"Oh!" Mr. Kowalski gasped as he also saw what Newt was doing, while Stella said flatly, "We are so going to be in trouble."

Newt didn't hear over the banging he was making with the drawers, finally striking gold – figuratively – as he opened one of the drawers and the Niffler scrambled out, trying to escape again as it dashed over Newt's head and up the display cases lining the walls.

Newt chased it instantly, climbing on chests and pushing aside display cases in his haste, and Mr. Kowalski winced, looking around worriedly, with every crash, bang, and shatter as Newt swung from the crystal chandelier in his chase after the Niffler.

"Isn't there a spell to keep quiet?" Stella hissed as she also looked around warily. "And one to avoid being seen or something? Like an illusion? So that we _don't_ get caught?!"

It was at that moment that the chandelier finally creaked before it fell, coming down with a loud crash followed by a small yelp from Newt.

Stella closed her eyes, hanging her head in defeat as Newt went chasing after the Niffler once more, causing a huge racket, when there was an ominous click. Stella's eyes flew open, and she looked down to see the clasp on Newt's suitcase – which he had left on the sidewalk when he'd gone chasing down the Niffler – had flicked open again.

A small roar came out of the small gap, and Stella rubbed her temples while Mr. Kowalski flinched and eyed the suitcase with fear.

"Oh, for God's sake." Stella muttered, just as the Niffler and then Newt climbed onto a display case behind the store's other, still-intact window. The wizard's weight caused the case to topple over, tilting and landing at an angle propped up against the window.

Both the Niffler and Newt froze, staring with bated breath at the window.

"You've got to be kidding me." Stella muttered, striding passed Mr. Kowalski as he started to edge carefully towards the growling suitcase. Ignoring him, she quickly shoved the clasp shut once more before grabbing the case and pulling Mr. Kowalski out of the way just as the window Newt was leaning on started to crack.

It wasn't a moment too soon, as the window broke just moment's later, causing both the Niffler and Newt to fall out with another loud crash.

Newt groaned while the Niffler twitched, having landed on its back, and quickly struggled to get itself back on its stubby little legs. It soon managed to flip over, and began to scuttle away quickly, making a break for it.

"Newt!" Stella cried as both she and Mr. Kowalski lunged for the creature; but they missed as it dodged around them nimbly and raced off once more.

Newt whipped over instantly, pulling out his wand as he called sharply, "Accio!"

Immediately, the Niffler – and a startling amount of jewelry that Stella realized at some point was coming from a small pouch on the Niffler's _stomach_ – came flying back towards the wizard... or rather, in his general direction.

The group all ducked as best as they could as the jewels came flying at them, while they ran towards the Niffler as the creature somehow managed to grab onto a pole and spin itself towards another jewelry store, its gaze drawn by the new shiny objects inside the store.

But Newt had clearly anticipated this and placed a charm of some sort on the store window – when and how, Stella wasn't exactly sure – and inside of managing to get inside, the Niffler found itself stuck on the window.

"Why couldn't you have done that sooner?" Stella demanded as the trio hurried over. "It could have saved you breaking everything in that store!"

"Yes, well, magic isn't so easy to use all the time and I didn't want to call _everything_ inside that store toward me." Newt replied before looking down at the Niffler sternly.

"All right." He said to the trapped Niffler crossly. "Happy?"

The Niffler squirmed unhappily, and Stella glanced at herself and then the trashed store across the street.

"You need a spell to reorganize things to be the way they were. And to fix what you break." Stella noted, gesturing around, and Newt sighed, "Magic doesn't just work like that."

"You have a spell to rebuild a wall, a spell to stick a magical creature to a window, and a spell to break a window, but not one to _repair_ a window?" Stella asked incredulously, and Newt sighed, "Well, no, there is a spell for it like the spell I used to repair the wall, I was just trying to say that magic isn't a solve-it-all for everything."

"It sure feels like it." Stella muttered, while Newt muttered, "Hang on, let me get the Niffler first."

Newt was grabbed the struggling creature and heaved it off the window with a grunt, saying, "One down, two to go."

Of course, that was when police sirens rang as the cops arrived.

Stella groaned as she looked over at her companions, who were all covered in various jewels, just like she herself was after Newt's little 'accio' trick. Mr. Kowalski had lifted his hands in the universal sign for surrender, while Newt quickly stuffed his Niffler inside his jacket, hiding it from view as the cops climbed out of their cars and pointed guns at the trio.

"They went that way, officer." Mr. Kowalski tried, pointing to the side, but the cops cocked their guns as they shouted, "Hands up!"

The glass behind them shattered too, most likely as the effects of whatever spell Newt had placed on it disappeared, and both Stella and Mr. Kowalski winced.

But one of the cops suddenly cocked his head, and asked in confusion, "What the hell is that?"

"Lion." Mr. Kowalski gasped, and the others all turned as well. Stella looked as well, and her jaw dropped as everyone's eyes widened in alarm, staring at the real, moving lion that grumbled at them from where it stood just down the road.

"Do wizards have a spell that casts illusions?" Stella whispered to Newt in surprise, and he answered, "No, not really."

Stella and Mr. Kowalski turned to him in dismayed incredulity, while Newt added as he stared at the lion with great interest, "You know, New York is considerably more interesting than I expected."

Mr. Kowalski gaped at him, while Stella hissed as she clutched his suitcase, "Just get us out of here!"

Newt obeyed quickly, grabbing both Stella and Mr. Kowalski before Apparating out of there while the police officers were distracted by the lion's appearance.


	8. Wizards and Monkeys

"You really need a spell to cast illusions." Stella sighed as the trio reappeared down the street and ran away. "How have you lot not been discovered by us yet?"

"We do have them, but it's very difficult. And, well, Muggles usually don't believe in magic even when the proof dances before their very eyes." Newt explained as they ran hurriedly into Central Park, the wizard shutting the Niffler away in his suitcase firmly. "You're all so unbelievably dense."

"Thanks." Stella said sarcastically. "Though, I suppose, since I didn't believe you the first time either, you do have a point."

Newt glanced at her sheepishly as they hurried up a small bridge inside Central Park, when she grabbed him and pulled him quickly out of the way while Mr. Kowalski hastily moved to the other side of the bridge. Newt, startled, tripped on his feet and ended up crashing into an awkward embrace with Stella, his suitcase hitting her thigh while his free hand wrapped around her waist to prevent them from falling over.

"I'm so sorry." He muttered, embarrassed as he let go quickly, but Stella brushed it away as she stared at the ostrich that ran passed them.

"Your missing beast seems to have made its way through Central Park Zoo." Stella sighed, and Newt opened his mouth to reply when a loud but low moan came echoing through the park.

Mr. Kowalski and Stella stared in the direction of the sound, while Newt reached into his blue coat, pulling out a leather helmet of sorts and he shoved it into Mr. Kowalski's hands.

"Put this on." Newt instructed, handing a similar helmet to Stella.

"But… why would I have to wear something like this?" Mr. Kowalski asked, confused, while Stella questioned as she looked over the helmet, "Where did you get this from?"

"My pocket." Newt answered as though it were obvious.

Stella shrugged, acknowledging that answer – his suitcase could contain an entire zoo and workroom, why shouldn't his pocket be able to do something similar? – while Newt added in answer to Mr. Kowalksi's question, "And you will need to wear this because your skull is susceptible to breakage under immense force."

Mr. Kowalski gaped at him again, but Newt didn't notice as he started off quickly once more towards the zoo. Stella was right behind him, starting to get used to Newt and his strangeness – both magic-induced and his natural, fumbling personality.

"And your skull isn't?" Stella asked, intrigued as she ran with him, and he answered briefly, "Wizard."

The trio stopped before the zoo – or rather, the giant hole that had been created in the zoo's side gate. It appeared that some creature had bulldozed its way through the gate and part of the brick wall; a very big creature.

Stella quickly slapped her helmet on, strapping it in under her chin while Mr. Kowalski stared, aghast, at the hole and Newt hurriedly put down his suitcase and started digging inside his pocket once more.

"Right." Newt muttered as he pulled out a leather guard vest. "If you just, um, pop this on."

He placed it on Mr. Kowalski, who let him strap the vest on numbly with a mumbled, "Okay."

"Now there's absolutely nothing to worry about." Newt added as he tugged on the straps and ensured that they were held firmly in place.

Stella and Mr. Kowalski exchanged looks at that, before the latter asked slowly, "Tell me, has anyone ever believed you when you told them not to worry?"

"Well, my philosophy is," Newt explained as he stepped back, "that worrying means that you suffer twice."

With that, he grabbed his suitcase and hurried forward once more.

"Lovely." Stella sighed, before following. "And, I don't need one?"

"You just stay behind me." Newt instructed. "It should keep you safe."

"Right… should…" Stella muttered, while Newt stopped as he reached the African animals section of the zoo.

The other two also paused as they saw the giant creature – which looked almost like a hippo from the back – inside one of the enclosures, huffing and snorting at the animal inside with it.

"She's in season." Newt murmured, and Stella's jaw dropped as she realized the creature was standing before a real hippo, the African animal hidden behind the giant size of the magical beast.

"What?!" Stella whisper-yelled, and Newt explained, "She needs to mate."

"No, I know what it means!" Stella hissed, staring with her jaw slack as the magical beast cooed and moaned again.

Newt had pulled out a flask, quickly pulling off the cap, and Stella glanced at him as he poured a little bit of the fluid inside onto his wrists, rubbing it in like perfume.

"Erumpent musk." Newt explained as he caught sight of Stella's questioning gaze. "She's mad for it."

"Of course she is." Stella muttered, while Newt ordered her softly, "Remember, stay where I tell you."

"I thought you said to stay behind you?" Stella countered, and Newt explained as he handed the open flask to Mr. Kowalski, "Well, stay behind me until I tell you where to stay."

' _I have a really bad feeling about this._ ' Stella thought as she followed Newt around the edges of the exhibition area while Newt gestured for Mr. Kowalski to move and hide on the opposite side of the arena. He gently placed his briefcase down opposite the Erumpent, opening it slowly and carefully.

"Stella, stay behind here, and stay down." Newt whisper-instructed, taking her by the shoulders and placing her gently behind the back of the open suitcase.

"Right… why do I not have a protective jacket?" Stella asked, staring at the enormous Erumpent uneasily.

"I only have one." Newt explained.

"Don't worry, though," he added quickly as she shot him an incredulous look, "I _will_ protect you. I promise."

"Has _anyone_ believed you when you said that?" Stella muttered dryly, and she was surprised when a flash of something dark crossed Newt's face. It had looked… almost like hurt – no, more than that, a deep pain.

Stella bit her lip, instantly regretting her words, but Newt had already turned away and moved to face the Erumpent.

He moved slowly towards the giant creature, rolling up his sleeves slightly before he crouched down abruptly, placing his hands behind his back. He rose again in a strange bobbing motion, letting out a squawking noise.

The effect was instantaneous. The Erumpent let out a huge puff of air through the airhole on the top of its head as it let out a loud coo. Newt continued to coo and began oinking like a pig, trying to get the Erumpent's attention.

Stella watched, half-amused and half-impressed as Newt stepped out with one foot, stomping it down and digging his foot on the ground in an animalistic fashion. It was like watching an animal handler interacting with a wild animal – which, Stella realized, was exactly what was happening.

The Erumpent finally turned around, revealing an almost delicate-looking face with the big, round blue eyes… if it wasn't for the enormous outgrowth on its forehead that lead into a large, curved horn not unlike a rhinoceros's.

Newt swept his foot on the ground once more, almost coyly, as he eyed the Erumpent shyly, and the great beast took a few tentative steps towards him, snorting with interest. It's nostrils flared as it sniffed the air, before it purred and Stella watched wide-eyed as Newt snorted back, taking another step forward and stomping on the ground, crouching and bucking his rear enticingly at the Erumpent.

It could have been the most ridiculous pose, but Stella was awed as she watched the Erumpent reply with a rumble and a shake of its body, clearly interest. The courting ritual continued on Newt's part as he tempted the Erumpent over towards the suitcase, and the beast finally started towards the wizard in eager response.

Stella stifled a snort when Newt rolled over on the ground, snorting and oinking at the Erumpent, and the great beast answered with a roll of her own, the motion taking her towards the open suitcase.

Stella held her breath with bated anticipation, crouching behind the case while Newt murmured encouragingly, "Good girl."

The Erumpent was less than a foot away and still rolling on her back, and Newt murmured, "Come on. Into the case."

Suddenly, however, the Erumpent's nostrils flared and it rolled back up onto its behind, sniffing and looking around. Stella's eyes widened and she almost backed away in terror as the giant beast that could easily crush her to death with its weight got to its feet just one foot away from her.

But then the Erumpent looked to the side… right at Mr. Kowalski.

The pudgy man stared back with terrified eyes, still holding the flask of Erumpent musk which he had accidentally released after being momentarily distracted. And Stella's mouth dropped open in fear while Newt's eyes also widened as they all realized what was going to happen in the split second before it did.

Mr. Kowalski turned and ran, just as the Erumpent reared back and let out what Stella assumed was a mating call.

"AH!" Mr. Kowalski screamed as he ran, dashing out of the exhibit and through the zoo, while the Erumpent chased after the man instantly.

"Newt!" Stella gasped as she stood up, and Newt instantly had his wand in hand while he grabbed his suitcase with the other.

"Quickly!" He ordered as they ran after the Erumpent, which was chasing poor Mr. Kowalski very ardently. The horrified man had run right over a frozen pond (which the Erumpent crashed through to little harm given its enormous size) before dashing away out the main gates.

Newt and Stella ran up just in time to see the Erumpent crash through the gates after Mr. Kowalski, the beast crashing through part of the wall and causing one entire side of the brick gateway to collapse.

Newt quickly pointed his wand at the damaged wall, starting, "Repair-!"

He was cut off while Stella shrieked as a monkey came running up – freed from its own enclosure – and snatched the wand out of Newt's hand, before it ran off again.

"Merlin's beard." Newt groaned, before following Stella in running after the monkey.

"Can't you call it back, like you did the Niffler?" Stella cried as they ran after the monkey, and Newt explained, "Well, I would need my wand for that!"

"You're not serious?" Stella demanded as they ran after the monkey into a new exhibit. "God, give a man a stick and he thinks he's invincible, but without it and he might as well be a monkey!"

"No, if that were true, that monkey would be doing magic right now." Newt pointed out as they slowed down, watching the monkey as it settled down on a pile of broken bricks and held the wand in its hands. "But it can't, just like you wouldn't be able to."

That had Stella screeching to a halt and she turned on Newt.

"Are you saying I'm a monkey?" Stella demanded, eyes narrowing at Newt.

"No, that's not what I meant." Newt replied hastily. "Though, I understand that you evolved from apes-"

She gave him another look.

"So you _are_ calling me a monkey." Stella deadpanned, and he cried, "No! That's not what I meant."

"Just hurry up and get your stick back." Stella snapped, nodding at the monkey. "I'm guessing you'd handle it better than me, being a magizoologist."

"I don't work with Muggle animals." Newt pointed out, and she hinted, "Magizoologist is closer to a 'Muggle' zoologist than a reporter specializing in crime is."

"Point taken." He sighed, before looking around.

Noticing a nearby tree, he quickly handed Stella his suitcase before hurrying over and breaking off a branch from said tree. Holding the stick out like a peace offering, Newt then approached the monkey slowly, saying in a calm tone, "They're exactly the same. Same thing."

The monkey glanced at Newt's branch and then the wand, before ignoring Newt, clearly disinterested in the shorter stick. Newt sighed, while Stella pointed out, "It's probably because yours is smaller."

Newt wrinkled his nose, while Stella paused before the connotations of what she'd said occurred to her.

Going beet red, she scowled slightly as she muttered defensively, "You know what I meant."

"Technically, that wand is mine." Newt pointed unnecessarily as he nodded at the stick in the monkey's hand, and Stella asked, "Are you seriously going to get into a competition with a _monkey_?"

Newt was saved from answering as the monkey decided the wand wasn't being interesting enough on its own, and it started to jab the wand down onto the ground below it.

Newt's eyes widened and he cautioned quickly, "Now, don't…"

It was too late as the wand, pointed down, hit the ground and suddenly let out a blast of light, the force flinging the monkey back and – coincidentally – back into its enclosure, while the wand clattered to the ground.

"I'm so sorry." Newt apologized to the monkey as he hurriedly scooped up the wand, while Stella grabbed his free hand and began to quickly drag him after the Erumpent and Mr. Kowalski.

"I thought you said it wouldn't be able to do magic." Stella gasped as they ran, Newt quickly matching his pace to hers so he wasn't being dragged along anymore.

"It didn't do that – a wand has magical properties as well, it's why wizards can channel their magic through it." Newt explained hastily, waving his wand above him as the pair ran through the ruined doorway.

Instantly, the whole area repaired itself, returning to its former state, just as Mr. Kowalski's flat had.

"When the monkey hit my wand against the ground, the wand expelled energy to force its abuser away." Newt finished as they ran, and Stella shook her head.

"Your laws are really complicated." She sighed, and he returned, "As are yours. Your 'physics' never really made sense to me. What is the point of a rubber duck sitting on bath water?"

"That doesn't really have anything to do with physics." Stella sighed. "But, good try… and good question, actually."

It was at that point that they finally caught up with the Erumpent and Mr. Kowalski, running over just in time to see the Erumpent jab its glowing horn – ' _it_ glows _?!_ ' Stella thought – into the trunk of the tree Mr. Kowalski had climbed to escape the infatuated beast.

"Oh, dear." Newt gasped, while Stella's jaw almost dropped as she saw the area where the Erumpent's horn had stabbed the tree start to glow as well, while the tree began to creak ominously.

"He's going to fall!" Stella gasped, just as the tree trunk exploded around the base where the Erumpent had impaled it. The rest of the tree – and Mr. Kowalski – fell over, landing in the snow and skidding down onto the frozen lake below.

' _Thank God Mr. Kowalski was wearing those guards._ ' Stella thought with a gasp as they ran onwards, seeing the Erumpent start to chase Mr. Kowalski even onto the frozen lake.

"Oh, good lord!" Stella gasped, and Newt ordered hurriedly, "Stay here, please!"

He grabbed the suitcase from her, before Apparating away quickly as both Mr. Kowalski and the Erumpent fell over on the slippery ice, both skidding uncontrollably over the frozen lake. Newt reappeared between Mr. Kowalski and the Erumpent, and quickly opened his case.

The open case touched the Erumpent's behind as it went spinning across the ice, and Newt skid along with the great beast as it started to get sucked back inside the suitcase even as the beast tried to maneuver its way towards Mr. Kowalski.

The man himself squealed as he tried to back away from the large creature, closing his eyes in terror as it came ever closer… only for it to lick his cheek once happily before it was fully sucked into Newt's suitcase and the wizard slammed the lid shut quickly.

The two men sat right before each other as they stopped skidding mere inches away from the other, both panting hard.

"Good show, Mr. Kowalski." Newt gasped out, and Mr. Kowalski chuckled slightly before raising his hand towards Newt.

"Call me Jacob." Jacob stated warmly, and the two men shook hands awkwardly as Stella ran out towards them at last, having rushed along the snowy lake banks to try and keep up, and she stopped between the two men.

"Are you all right?" She gasped, and Jacob nodded.

"No harm done." He agreed, as he and Newt let go of their hands, Newt looking a little awkward and abashed.

Stella smiled in relief, before looking at Newt.

"You okay?" She asked, and he nodded.

"It wasn't how I expected this to go." He admitted. "But then again, I've long learnt that little goes according to plan when dealing with magical creatures."

"I suspect the plan started going wrong when you found yourself joined by two Muggles." Stella teased lightly, and Newt blushed while Jacob laughed.

"Er, yes. I suppose so." Newt agreed sheepishly, while Stella held out a hand to help Jacob up. She also held one out to Newt, who took it gratefully as she hauled him up onto his feet.

Her hand was slightly cold from the winter night, but still soft and slightly warm against his. He'd not really noticed it when she'd held his hand earlier, but her hands were much smaller than his, feeling almost delicate if it weren't for the hard callouses on her palms and fingers from where she clearly held her pen.

"So, what now?"

Jacob's question startled him, and Newt quickly let go of Stella's hand as he answered quickly and rather nervously, "Well, for now I'd like to make sure those two have settled back in safely, and perhaps you two can rest a bit while I try and think where Dougal may have gotten to."

They nodded in agreement, walking off to the nearest bridge crossing so they could hide themselves from view before re-entering Newt's suitcase.

And Newt tried not to think about Stella walking beside him, unaware that Stella was also trying hard not to remember the warmth that holding his large, calloused hands had given her in that moment before Jacob had interrupted.


	9. Tangled Strings

When they returned to the case, Jacob wandered off as he went back to admire the Mooncalves while Newt released the Erumpent into her field.

"Now, there's a good girl." Newt murmured as he watched the giant creature amble off happily.

Stella watched from a safe distance further back, but she too smiled as she watched the creature harrumph contently as she circled her patch. Newt walked backward to Stella's side as they both watched the Erumpent fondly.

"Sorry I was really sarcastic earlier." Stella apologized, and Newt glanced at her. "I tend to become a little… impolite when I'm stressed."

"Oh, yes, I noticed that." Newt agreed, and Stella turned amused eyes on the man.

He seemed to realize belatedly that what he'd said was a little rude, and Newt amended hastily, "No, I meant, I didn't mean that… I just meant you were a little ruder- not that rude, you were actually polite compared to other people I've met, um, not that I compare you to them-"

Deciding to save the poor man, who seemed to be sinking into a deeper and deeper word vomit pit, Stella interrupted, "Newt."

Newt went silent instantly, eyeing her anxiously, and she smiled at him.

"I said I was sorry for being overbearing." She said lightly. "You just have to say you forgive me - or, you know, if you don't then that."

"Oh." He blinked at her. "Of course I forgive you. And it really wasn't that rude."

"Thank you." Stella answered, her eyes laughing although she didn't laugh aloud.

Newt found himself staring into her brown eyes, feeling as though he was lost within their warm depths.

She was difficult to read, as socially awkward as he was, but he knew all too well when someone was mocking him with their eyes. Or condescending. Stella's eyes always seemed to be laughing around him, but he got the feeling that it wasn't _at_ him. Rather, it was with him or because something he'd said or done amused her - in a good way.

It was astounding really.

Newt was used to finding beauty amongst the creatures he studied and in many cases befriended. He had long thrown out such associations with Wizards or the like, but with Stella… all he had to do was look in her eyes, and he saw the most magical sight since he'd first laid eyes on the Hogwarts Great Hall many years ago.

Her eyes always sparkled and seemed to speak in volumes that couldn't be expressed with just words. What was it people said? Eyes were the windows to the soul? Well, for him, it was like looking into the windows of another world. One that could be filled with so much hope and light and…

Newt hadn't realized it, but he'd started to lean in, drawn in by her gaze.

Stella, in turn, was leaning up and closer as well, finding herself captivated by his green eyes the same way he was held by her brown ones. His eyes were like his suitcase, magical and so much more on the inside than appeared on the outside.

Stella slowly became aware that his face was closing in on hers as both of them moved unconsciously closer. Her eyes flickered down to his lips before looking back up at his eyes just as he swallowed and licked his suddenly dry lips. His eyes dropped to her pink lips briefly as well, before looking back up as she stared at him, waiting.

They were now so close that Newt could feel her soft breath on his lips as she parted her mouth just slightly while Stella could feel the air move as he sucked in a sharp, nervous breath.

Slowly, Newt's head dipped in even closer, and Stella felt her eyes start to flutter shut as she felt his warm breath land on her lips… only for him to suddenly pull away.

Stella's eyes opened, startled and more than a little confused.

But Newt had averted his head as he abruptly stepped back and away, muttering, "I'm sorry, I… That wasn't… I shouldn't have done that."

Stella blinked. Twice.

"Newt?" She asked, her confusion growing as Newt seemed to tense even further if possible.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, avoiding looking at her. "I shouldn't have- forgive me, Stella. It's not fair to y… please, forget this happened."

His sudden change in attitude bewildered her, especially because she had no idea what had prompted it. Was it something she had done? He'd seemed interested enough and as eager as she was albeit in a shyer, adorable manner that suited him so well. What on earth…?

It was then that Stella saw it.

How she'd missed it the first time, she didn't know – probably too overwhelmed by all the beautiful and wonderful magical creatures – but suddenly, she was fighting angry and embarrassed tears as she stared at the picture of a pretty young woman that sat on the corner of Newt's work desk.

It was turned slightly away from his workshop, which probably explained why she'd missed it on his desk the first time, but it was all too visible from her spot inside the suitcase world. Which meant she was in a perfect position to see every detail of the dark-haired beauty who sat smiling in the frame. The woman, barely out of girlhood really, was dressed in a light-coloured dress with ribbons in her hair, and had a beautiful, sweet smile though there was something in her dark, heavy-lidded eyes that suggested darker, more sultry charisma. Her high cheekbones accentuated that, and Stella had a feeling that this woman (who looked quite young in the photograph) would be quite the sexy goddess when she was older.

In short, she was almost entirely Stella's opposite. Where the woman was dark-skinned, Stella was as pale as the moon like most standard British caucasians. The woman's dark hair and sharp features aside from plump lips were a stark contrast to Stella's own golden locks and soft curved face. Her lips were pouty, but Stella rarely pouted - she was _not_ sexy and never felt comfortable pretending to be if she ever had to.

In fact, the only thing that Stella had remotely in common with the mysterious woman was the dark eyes; and she now realized with a sinking of her heart that Newt had stared quite a lot into her eyes. He'd rarely noticed anything else about her, but whenever they met gazes he seemed captivated.

And he'd backed away after he'd looked down at her lips.

Was it because it wasn't the ones he wanted? Suddenly, Stella felt angry and her eyes snapped back to Newt.

"Is it her?" She asked, voice hard.

Newt started, before he realized what she must have seen. His face became conflicted, emotions warring, but when Stella saw pain, she had had enough.

"So, that's it." She growled, not knowing whether she was more angry or more hurt at her recent revelation. Probably both. "You saw her in me, am I right?"

Newt's eyes snapped up to hers, startled, but Stella barely noticed.

"And now you've realized I'm not her, is that it?"

"No," Newt stammered. "Well, yes, you're not, but-"

That was when Stella lost patience. Because when the admission passed Newt's lips, that was when she heard her own heart break neatly into two with a sharp 'crack'.

"Get lost." She said, in a voice so low Newt wondered at first if he'd heard her correctly.

"I, beg your pardon?" He questioned.

"Get lost," her eyes lifted and he saw they were blazing with dark anger. "And _don't_ come near me again. Don't touch me, don't talk to me, don't do _anything_. And when this is over, don't ever appear before me again. You can go right back to pining for your ex for all I care, just leave _me_ alone!"

Newt's face, which had paled upon seeing just how furious she was, went absolutely white at how quickly Stella had put together his relation to the woman in the photograph. For a moment, he was completely still, and then his gaze broke.

"I'm sorry." Newt repeated in a whisper, his expression agonized and conflicted. "I- There's something I have to do."

With that, he turned and positively fled, leaving Stella glaring after him, still angry and more than a little hurt.

For all his clumsiness and awkwardness, Stella had liked Newt. And she'd never imagined he would be capable of hurting her. If he had not been reciprocative of her feelings, she could have understood. It would have hurt a little, but she could have accepted that. This, however...

Tears stung her eyes, but Stella refused to let them fall. She'd never cried over a man, not since her father's death ten years ago, and she was certainly not going to do so now. Especially not over Newt bloody Scamander.

Stella swore to herself as she forced herself to walk back to where Jacob was wandering back into the paddock that surrounded Newt's workshop in the centre of his, for lack of a better word, zoo.

"Stella?" Jacob asked, catching sight of the woman and frowning as he thought he saw a tear glistening on the corner of the woman's eye. "Hey, you all right?"

"I'm fine." Stella answered curtly, and Jacob's frown deepened.

"You don't look fine-" He began, glancing to where Newt was bent over something inside his workshop. Although the Wizard looked more like he was trying to hide in plain sight without appearing to be hiding.

However, they were interrupted when a loud knock echoed through the suitcase.

Stella and Jacob looked around in confusion before looking at Newt as the Wizard slowly stood up.

"What was that?" Jacob asked, and Stella said slowly, "That sounded like… someone knocking."

"On what?" Jacob asked, confused.

"The suitcase."

Newt was staring up his ladder which led to the top of his suitcase as he answered Jacob.

Stella was also staring up at the suitcase's opening, suddenly feeling afraid. Jacob swallowed, feeling a similar fear sinking in as he asked slowly, tentatively, "And, uh, who would be knocking on your suitcase?"

"I don't know." Newt answered quietly.

"Is there some way to check?" Stella asked, and Newt glanced back before quickly looking forward once more.

"Yes." He replied curtly.

And without further ado, he began to climb the ladder.

"For having magic, they are surprisingly medieval in other respects." Stella muttered as she and Jacob followed the Wizard up, unable to hide their curiosity as to who could have found Newt's suitcase.

Newt was the first to peek outside his suitcase, opening the lid to look out warily.

Jacob and Stella waited below him, watching as Newt paused before slowly climbing out of the case, his actions carefully controlled in a way that had Jacob and Stella exchanging cautious looks before they followed Newt out of the case.

The second Stella poked her head out of the case, she saw why Newt had been so careful.

The group was now standing in a medium-sized auditorium, packed with people she could only guess to be wizards and witches, given their strange attires in robes. There were many, seated around the auditorium in a way that made Stella realized with a sinking feeling that this might be a UN-type summit of sorts – it was the only way to explain how people of similar dress were assembled together within the auditorium in small groups of perhaps three to five representatives each.

There was, however, one face that Stella recognized amongst all these strangers.

Stella pursed her lips as she met eyes with Tina Goldstein, the taller woman looking apologetic but grimly determined. It was clear that she had been the one to bring them here and, if the hushed murmurs and tight looks they were receiving from the auditorium were any indication, Stella guessed it wasn't for anything good.

As Stella and Jacob looked around, Newt had bent down to shut his suitcase firmly once more, when an incredulous British voice called, "Scamander?"

Stella glanced over towards the source of the voice, her eyes falling on a pompous-looking elderly gentleman just as Newt also saw the man and greeted nervously, "Oh. Hello, Minister."

"Theseus Scamander?" Another man asked in surprise. "The war hero?"

"No." The Minister answered dismissively. "This is his little brother."

Stella's lips pursed as she glanced at Newt, who was looking incredibly tense and –almost – like a frightened child about to be scolded as he stood, fidgeting, while his shoulders drooped.

Jacob also shot his friend a concerned look, while the Minister asked sternly, "And what are you doing in New York?"

"Oh, I came to buy a napplerzooparskin, sir." Newt answered quickly, though he kept glancing around nervously.

The Minister was clearly skeptical as he said flatly, "Right. What are you really doing here?"

Newt hesitated, unable to answer, when another woman, dressed in an elaborate outfit and headdress that screamed 'powerful leader' interjected firmly, "Goldstein. Who is this?"

She gestured at Jacob and Stella, the latter of whom tensed even further as she recalled Newt's words from Jacob's flat.

Tina meanwhile had taken a deep breath before she rushed, "This is Jacob Kowalski and Stella Rowland, Madame President. They're No-Mags who got bitten by one of Mr. Scamander's creatures."

Her voice caught off at the end, as though in terror, and a tiny part of Stella could understand why – the reactions were instantaneous, as people whispered and murmured in general fear and incredulity. If one didn't know better, one would say it was at the fact that she and Jacob had been bitten by a magical creature; but Stella knew better. Based on her initial meeting with Tina, Stella knew these Wizards were more likely scandalized that she and Jacob, _Muggles_ , had been bitten but left with memories intact.

Of course, that was just a fleeting thought in Stella's head; for the most part, she was envisioning throttling Tina Goldstein for being so, so incredibly _stupid._

It was at that point that Newt caught sight of what looked like a black-and-white holographic image of a dead man, floating just below the ceiling right above their heads. Apparently conjured up by magic, the image looked incredibly life-like and left out no details about the man, not even the horrific but strangely intricate scars that had evidently been what killed him.

"Merlin's beard!" Newt gasped, while Jacob and Stella also examined the body with matching creases in their foreheads.

' _Much better than photographs._ ' Stella thought absently. ' _Though more importantly…_ '

"That's the New York Senator." Jacob murmured, and Stella agreed softly, "Senator Henry Shaw Jr.; he was a crowd favourite for years, aided by his father's newspaper company. I can't believe he's dead."

"You know which of your creatures was responsible, Mr. Scamander?" An Asian woman piped up to ask, her stern gaze fixed on Newt as the magizoologist continued to stare up at the dead man above them.

"This… No creature did this." Newt said in a hushed, but firm tone. "Don't pretend. You must know about... look at the marks."

He pointed at the strange scarring that Stella had picked up on, which looked almost like someone had taken a knife and cut tiny, detailed patterns all over the man's face and probably down his body if the way they disappeared down his neck and beneath his shirt was any indication.

"That was an Obscurus." Newt stated, and instantly the room erupted into murmurs once more.

Stella and Jacob meanwhile tensed, recalling the strange, black shadow they'd witnessed inside Newt's suitcase. And more importantly for Stella, she recalled the story she was here to investigate, the so-called 'ghost' that had been haunting New York for weeks.

 _Weeks_ … which meant it couldn't have been Newt, as he had only just arrived the day before, on the same ship as Stella.

That left only one possible conclusion – besides the possibly that she may be hallucinating this entire magic thing though at this point she would have had to have an extremely overactive imagination for that to be true. Therefore, conclusion: there was an 'Obscurus', whatever that was, in New York, and had been there for weeks. And it had killed Henry Shaw Jr.

"You go too far, Mr. Scamander."

Stella started at the so-called 'Madame President's' sharp tone as the woman looked down at Newt with reproof. "There is no Obscurial in America."

"But there is a 'ghost'."

Murmurs broke out again at Stella's words, while the Madame President – whom Stella guessed must be the leader of the Wizarding World in America – said tightly, "You are not authorised to speak here, Miss. As a No-Mag-"

"I thought America was all about freedom of speech." Stella interrupted sharply, and the other woman's eyes narrowed.

Stella ignored the look as she continued, "Saying that the reason Newt is wrong is because there can not possibly be an Ob-whatever in America, is like saying there can't possibly be a murder weapon just because you don't see it next to the victim."

She looked around at the auditorium at large as she argued, "If you keep up with our _Muggle_ " (she refused to call herself a No-Mag; at least Muggle sounded slightly better), "news, you'll know that they've been investigating a 'ghost' that's haunting New York City. It's left destruction in its wake for _weeks_ , which is before Newt even arrived in New York. And now, you have a dead man with markings that even _I_ can see are not from any mindless creature's attack."

The audience stared, apparently stunned by this Muggle's audacity, while Stella finished heatedly, "And if a magizoologist, a specialist in this field, is telling you that it's from a specific type of creature, shouldn't you at least investigate into it?"

Newt, Jacob, and Tina gawked at Stella as the blonde stood her ground.

But the President, apparently, was equally determined as she ordered, "I have heard enough. You do not know of what you speak, Miss Rowland, and I suggest for your sake that you maintain your silence. Impound that case, Graves."

Stella's jaw locked while Newt gasped as a man around his mid-fifties flicked his hand and magically pulled Newt's suitcase towards him.

"Wait, no. Give that back-" Newt began in alarm, taking a step towards his case while Stella yelled at the President, "You don't even know anything about the magical creatures you live with, how can you possibly be equipped to even understand the living, breathing animals inside that case!"

The President's eyes were cold as she simply looked down at the group, ordering, "Arrest them."

Graves flicked his hands again, and Stella let out a small, involuntary yelp as she felt herself dragged forward while her hands were forced behind her back. A familiar metal clink was heard as handcuffs appeared around her wrists, the same happening to Newt, Jacob… and Tina.

All four of them were dragged onto their knees against their wills, hands locked behind their backs, before the President and Stella's jaw clenched. For people with magic, they sure acted like barbarians.

Graves had stood up, picking up the suitcase, and Newt begged, "Don't hurt those creatures. Please, you don't understand. Nothing in there's dangerous. Nothing."

"We'll be the judges of that." The President answered coldly. "Take them to the cells."

Stella grunted as she was pulled harshly to her feet by a strange man in a long coat.

The same happened to the other three as they were all dragged from the auditorium, while Newt cried frantically, "Don't hurt those creatures, 'cause noth-nothing in there is dangerous! Please don't hurt my creatures, they aren't dangerous! Please, please! They're not dangerous! They're not dangerous!"


	10. Determination

Jacob and Stella sat on the bench inside the jail cell, Stella sitting facing away from them all while Jacob stared blankly into space. Tina was standing at the cell doors, leaning forwards against the bars, while Newt sat huddled in a corner, curled miserably in on himself.

"I'm so sorry about your creatures, Mr. Scamander." Tina finally said, breaking the silence that weighed down on the group. "I truly am."

Newt didn't move, and neither did Stella, as another silence fell over them.

"Can someone please tell me what this Obscurial, Obscurus thing is, please?" Jacob finally asked, unable to stand the silence or his curiosity any longer.

"There hasn't been one for centuries." Tina answered, glancing back, and Stella leant her head back as she answered, "So how does that explain what Jacob and I saw?"

Tina looked at her, shocked, while Newt finally explained quietly, "I met that one in Sudan three months ago."

They all glanced at him as Newt explained to the two Muggles but without looking at them as he picked at the callouses on his hands, "There used to be more of them, but they still exist. Before Wizards went underground… when we were still being hunted by Muggles… Young Wizards and Witches sometimes tried to suppress their magic to avoid persecution."

Stella's eyes widened while Newt continued sadly, "So instead of learning to harness, to, to control their powers… they developed what was called an Obscurus."

Jacob's mouth also parted in horrified shock, while Tina added quietly, "It's an unstable, uncontrollable dark force that busts out and attacks. And then vanishes."

She looked at Newt as she checked, "Obscurials can't survive long, can they?"

"There's no documented case of an Obscurial surviving passed the age of ten." Newt muttered, still not looking at them. "The one I met in Africa was eight when she…"

He broke off, his voice catching and he folded his lips tightly before he finished in a choked tone, "She was eight when she died."

Stella's eyes welled, and she turned her head while Jacob asked incredulously, "What are you telling me here, that a, that Senator Shaw was killed by a, a kid?"

Newt just gave him a slight nod, barely glancing over, while Stella continued to stare blankly into the empty cell beside theirs.

"But that Madame President won't listen?" Jacob asked incredulously. "What if you showed them the one you captured?"

Tina looked up in surprise, while Newt shook his head.

"They would never believe it." He muttered. "Either that, or they might believe me to have released the Obscurus that killed-"

He broke off, ducking his head further while Jacob swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling very, very dry.

"So, what'll happen to us now?" Jacob asked slowly, glancing between Newt and Tina. "I mean, if they think you're behind this…"

"I'd assume Mr. Scamander and I will be taken in for questioning." Tina answered quietly. "And, er, you and Miss Rowland…"

"Obliviated, right?" Stella said flatly, quietly. "We won't even remember having met you."

Jacob started, his wide eyes swiveling around in despairing incredulity, while Tina shifted uncomfortably and nodded. Newt glanced up at Stella, but she was still turned away from him, from all of them, as she stared unseeingly into the next cell, fighting back the tears that threatened to blur her vision.

She'd forget it all – meeting and befriending Jacob; the magical world they'd been unaware of all around them; the beautiful and sometimes terrifying creatures inside Newt's case; Newt himself…

And despite her best efforts, a single tear slipped down Stella's cheek as the group lapsed into silence once more.

* * *

 _Later_

Jacob and Stella watched in silence as the two Aurors – which Stella learnt meant basically magical law enforcement – led Tina and Newt out of the cell, locking the two Muggles back inside while the two wizards were taken away.

About halfway down the dungeon-like jail, Newt turned around and he called half-heartedly, "It was good to make your acquaintance, Jacob. And I hope you get your bakery. And I'm sorry I couldn't help you in your search, Stella. I hope you have a safe return to London."

Jacob waved half-heartedly back, while Stella avoided eye contact with Newt as she nodded silently, swallowing heavily. Jacob glanced at Stella as she turned and curled back up on the cell bench as soon as Newt and Tina disappeared around the far corner.

"Are you okay?" He asked gently, placing a hand on Stella's shoulder, and she shrugged.

"I suppose." She muttered as she picked at an invisible spot on her pant leg. "It doesn't matter anyway, does it? You and I won't even remember each other by the end of the day, let alone the rest of this."

Jacob sighed, glancing up again to stare at the empty jail. He then settled himself down beside Stella once more, leaning back as he said, "I saw you two. Back in Newt's suitcase. I mean, before I pretended to have just walked into the paddock."

Stella tensed, but Jacob went on, "I think you might have been too hard on him – he's clearly got a lot more going on than we thought."

"That's true of everyone, though." Stella countered as she looked up at Jacob at last, her brown eyes as sharp as usual.

"You look cheerful and you're incredibly optimistic, Jacob; but you're suffering inside that canning factory and – let's face it – if you don't have collateral, your dream of opening a bakery is very far away."

She paused before she lowered her eyes and added quietly, "And yet, you don't let it get you down. It's very admirable."

"I think you are too." Jacob answered with a shrug. "I mean, a woman reporter, and in crime news too? You had to have faced incredible prejudice, and have had to work your ass off to make get to where you are."

"It's not as impressive as you think." Stella sighed, shaking her head. "I still have so far to go; and a dead-end on the 'ghost' trail is only going to set me back further than it should."

"I'm sorry." Jacob sympathized, but she answered, "No, _I'm_ sorry. You also have a dream, and here I am just moping on about mine."

"We're a sorry pair." Jacob agreed and Stella snorted.

Jacob paused, before he added quietly, "But, Newt's face when you turned away from him? It was the sorriest face I'd ever seen on a man – and I've been to a war."

Stella hunched in slightly on herself at his words, but her voice was even as she muttered, "You're exaggerating."

"Not really." Jacob murmured gently. "Emotional pain is often deeper than physical pain. And nothing hurts more than to see someone you love in pain."

Stella's head shot up as she shot Jacob an incredulous look, but he met her gaze evenly with his own kind brown eyes as he said, "Yeah, I said it. Because I'm certain I wasn't wrong about what I saw in Newt's eyes… and yours."

Stella turned her head away again sharply, fighting the tears that had welled up in her eyes again.

"Maybe you're right… but it wasn't me he saw, Jacob." Stella murmured miserably. "He never saw me; he always just saw someone else."

"Stella-" Jacob began, but Stella interrupted with just the slightest catch in her voice, "It doesn't matter anymore anyway. He's gone… and I won't even remember him."

Her fists clenched as she struggled not to tremble, while Jacob sighed. With nothing he could say in response, he simply patted her shoulder as they sat quietly and awaited their own inevitable fates.

* * *

 _Moments later_

Stella and Jacob exchanged looks as they stood with their Auror escort inside the lift, heading to wherever it was they would be obliviated.

Apparently, since they were Muggles and couldn't do magic, the higher-ups had decided they only needed one guard. It irked Stella that those wizards were right – there was nothing she or Jacob could do without getting caught in a minute. Or less.

"Hey, Jacob?" Stella said as they arrived on their floor and the elevator doors started to open.

"Yeah?" He asked, and she said simply, "Thank you. For everything."

Jacob glanced at her before nodding, knowing what she meant, and as they were led out of the elevator, he answered, "You too, Stella."

She nodded tightly as their guard took them out into a large lobby of sorts, filled with various witches and wizards and… strange creatures Stella wasn't sure what to call. There were a few creatures that looked like a cross between imps and creepy Santa elves, dressed in rags; a white furry… thing, and others she couldn't even begin to describe.

Suddenly, a familiar face came hurrying over, and both Jacob and Stella blinked in surprise as Queenie Goldstein joined their group, greeting their guard. "Hey, Sam."

"Hey, Queenie." The man acknowledged, and Stella gently nudged Jacob and forced him to look forwards with her, rather than at Queenie.

Queenie too ignored them as she informed their guard pleasantly, "They need you downstairs. I'll obliviate these two."

"You ain't qualified." The man answered immediately, not falling for Queenie's attempt as easily as they might have hoped.

Stella pursed her lips, before she raised a slight brow in surprise as Queenie leant over her shoulder to whisper at Sam, "Hey, Sam? Does Cecily know you've been seeing Ruby?"

Stella internally cheered as she literally felt Sam pale behind her.

"How did you-?" Sam began slowly, but Queenie cut in firmly, "Let me obliviate these two, and she'll never hear about it from me."

' _Go, Queenie!_ ' Stella cheered mentally, impressed by the blonde's resourcefulness as Sam gave up his hold on the two Muggles.

Queenie took their shoulders instead, leading them quickly away as Sam turned around and left them.

"What're you doing?" Jacob whispered, but Queenie hushed, "Sh. Tina's in trouble, I'm try'na listen. Jacob, Stella, where's Newt's case?"

"A man called Graves took it." Stella answered in a low undertone, barely even moving her lips, and Queenie nodded slightly as she turned them around the whole lobby and back towards the elevator.

"Okay. Come on." She whispered as she tugged the pair with her, and Jacob asked in surprise, "Wait, you're not gonna obliviate us?"

Queenie looked at him in surprise, and she answered honestly, "Of course not. You guys are one of us, now."

She squeezed both their arms in solidarity, making both Muggles smile as Queenie led them quickly away.

* * *

The trio stood, pressed against the wall right outside Graves's office, Stella keeping a wary eye out while Jacob shifted restlessly and Queenie tried to unlock the head Auror's office door.

"Alohomora." She muttered, flicking her wand at the door. "Everto."

Nothing worked, and Queenie sighed as she muttered irritably, "He would know some fancy spell to lock his office."

Stella glanced over and then peered at the door.

"It doesn't have a keyhole to pick." She muttered, brow creasing. "But…"

She glanced over the sides and at the hinges specifically.

"Jacob, help me out?" She asked as she backed up away from the door. Queenie frowned, while Jacob understood instantly and moved next to Stella.

"What are you two doing?" Queenie asked, puzzled, and Stella explained, "Breaking in the good old fashioned, Muggle way."

With that, she and Jacob ran at the door, ramming it with their shoulders. The heavy door instantly broke open, swinging on its hinges but thankfully not breaking down completely.

"Come on." Stella whispered, glancing around, and Queenie hurried inside the office, grabbing Newt's briefcase off Graves's desk as well as two wands lying to the side – Newt and Tina's, which had been confiscated upon their arrest.

The trio hurried away quickly, and Stella asked as she glanced over her shoulder while they got back into the elevator, "Did that not trigger any alarm or something?"

"It might." Queenie admitted as the elevator opened on a basement floor… just as an alarm started to ring throughout the building.

Jacob looked up in alarm, while Stella tensed and Queenie said quickly, "We need to hurry and get Newt and Tina, and then get you all out of here quickly."

"Lead the way." Stella gestured, and Queenie strode quickly down the various corridors, ignoring the alarm as wizards and witches in long coats and fedoras hurried passed them - apparently the Aurors, who had been alerted to a breech of some kind though by the confusion they weren't quite sure what.

"Looks like we might be lucky." Stella noted, and Queenie muttered back, "Let's hope it lasts."

"But how do we find Newt before they all find us-?" Jacob began, when they turned a corner - and almost ran right into Newt and Tina as the pair came rushing around the other side.

As it was, Stella did collide headfirst with said magizoologist while Queenie and Tina barely avoided a similar greeting as all five of them skid to a quick halt.

"I'm sorry!" Newt gasped as he righted Stella, who just shook her head quickly to clear it.

"Oh." Newt added as he glanced down and spotted his suitcase in Queenie's hand.

The blonde held out the case, and she ordered urgently to her four companions, "Get in."

* * *

Stella stared out at the city below, swinging her legs slightly as she sat at the edge of the rooftop they were gathered atop.

Queenie's plan had been a neat success, and the blonde secretary had easily snuck them all out in the suitcase before bringing them to this building so they could remain hidden for at least a little while longer. The witch was currently standing beside Jacob in the small watchroom in the centre of the rooftop, the pair huddled over a nest of pidgeons that Jacob had found.

Newt was standing perhaps five feet away from where she sat, but it might as well have been a hundred feet between them with the uncomfortable tension that continued to permeate the air between them. Newt had not said a word to her, although given what she'd basically yelled at him she wasn't surprised. It didn't make it easier though.

Even Pickett picked up on it as he stood, perched on Newt's shoulder, and looked between them. He chirped at Newt, who shook his head, making the Bowtruckle frown and chirp again, almost insistently and indignantly.

"Sh, no, Pickett." Newt muttered, and Stella finally asked as she glanced over, "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, he, um, he's just being a bit, er…" Newt mumbled nervously, pushing Pickett back into his pocket.

Stella looked away again, and they were silent for a moment, before Tina finally walked up to them wearing a nervous expression. Not that Stella blamed her.

But Tina didn't have much to worry about - Newt didn't really look like he held any hard feelings, and Stella had already wearily forgiven the woman for her actions. Yes, it had been idiotic but she had genuinely wanted to do what was right and she couldn't honestly blame the woman for trying to be a good wizarding citizen. It was easy to see that Tina was contrite about the part she had played, and now that their goals aligned perhaps she would be of greater help in their search. Or at least in keeping them off the MACUSA's radar.

The three remained quiet for another minute or so, before Tina spoke up at last.

"Graves always insisted the disturbances were caused by a beast."

She nodded at Stella as she went on, "But it can't have been yours, Mr. Scamander, as Miss Rowland pointed out. We need to catch all your creatures so that he can't keep using them as a scapegoat."

"There's only one still missing." Newt explained as he glanced over at the witch. "Dougal, my demiguise."

"'Dougal'?" Tina repeated with some surprise, but Newt just nodded as he answered sheepishly, "A slight problem is that, um, he's invisible."

Tina's head snapped over immediately, just as Queenie and Jacob also looked over. Even Stella was incredulous as Tina repeated flatly, " _Invisible?_ "

"Yes." Newt admitted, adding quickly, "Most of the time, he does some, um…"

He gestured as he trailed off apologetically, and Stella sighed while Tina began, "How do you catch something that-"

"With immense difficulty." Newt answered, cutting her off with a forced grin, and there was a moment's silence from everyone else.

"Well, maybe if we look around for…" Stella broke the silence first as she suggested slowly. "I don't know, do demiguises leave tracks?"

"Paw prints." Newt confirmed, glancing at her uncomfortably in a way that had nothing to do with the mostly invisible demiguise.

Stella looked away again, causing Newt's lips to curve down further, when Tina suddenly brightened and piped up, "Gnarlack."

"A what?" Stella asked blankly, as Newt also asked in confusion, "Excuse me?"

"Gnarlack." Tina explained. "He was an informant of mine, before I lost my job. He used to trade in magical creatures on the side."

Stella's eyes widened, while Newt asked hopefully, "He wouldn't happen to have an interest in paw prints, would he?"

"He's interested in anything he can sell." Tina answered with a shrug, and that made Stella pause.

It sounded like Gnarlack was a black market-type trader, and while such traders could be useful informants, Stella had once learnt the hard way that they also usually couldn't be trusted. Because if they liked to sell anything they could… that included you.

' _Let's not get hasty._ ' Stella told herself firmly. ' _It's the only lead that we've got. Besides, this isn't your world; you're probably overreacting._ '

Right… Except, usually, her gut was never wrong.


	11. Gnarlack

The group appeared in the tiny alleyway, carefully keeping out of sight as they looked around to make sure no-one had seen their arrival.

Once they were certain they weren't being followed, Tina led the way down a side street, carefully keeping her eyes out for anyone watching them as she slipped down another alley and down a narrow flight of stairs to what appeared to be a brick wall.

Queenie was right behind her, leading Stella with her, while Newt and Jacob brought up the rear as Tina stopped before the wall and drew her wand. Queenie did the same, and Stella raised a brow as the two women tapped themselves on the shoulders and melted their smarter suits away to be replaced with sleek cocktail attire.

Queenie then turned and tapped Stella, and the older blonde crossed her arms a little self-consciously when her own suit magically morphed into a pretty but rather revealing forest-green dress. It was lower-cut than anything she typically wore, and the thin shoulder straps draped down her back in such a way that it revealed more skin there than she was normally comfortable with.

However, sensing that the disguise was necessary to blend into wherever they were about to go, she made no complaint, simply watching as Tina knocked on the wall. She was so absorbed in watching the wall, she missed the way Newt tapped his own shirt-front… to fix his tie into a neat bow.

Jacob did notice but his attention was caught when a thin strip of the wall slid open before Tina; and Stella couldn't quench the way her unease increased as a pair of beady eyes peered out at the group through the slit.

* * *

Stella's uncomfortableness had only increased as she sat in the den, which was a shady bar not too unlike the ones she sometimes had to enter for her investigations.

That is, not too different unless you counted the pointy-eared female goblin of sorts - clearly the entertainment - singing a sultry song as she created misty illusions of butterflies and unicorns to dance before the watching guests. And the tiny 'elf', though he looked nothing like the cute Santa helper-type creatures that Stella associated with the word, that attended the bar.

Stella soon left the bar, unsettled by the house-elf bartender and not wanting to listen to Queenie and Jacob's flirting, and joined Newt and Tina at their table just to the side of the bar counter.

Newt looked a little startled when she sat down beside Tina, and he stammered, "I, I thought you were going to stay with Jacob."

"You should stay with him and Queenie; it's dangerous here." Tina added, but Stella answered rather grimly, "Well, I didn't think I wanted to see the end result of six shots of 'Giggle Water'."

The trio glanced over to the bar where Jacob let out an unnatural laugh after one such shot that made Queenie giggle like a schoolgirl.

"Point taken." Tina grimaced as the three turned back to their own table and tried not to think about the pair flirting behind them.

Stella glanced around the bar again, taking care not to meet anyone's eye just in case she drew any unwanted attention, when her eyes fell on the wanted posters pasted against the far wall. They showed various men - and other creatures that Stella was positive weren't human - but her eyes were drawn particularly to one in almost the dead centre.

It was of a man - possibly in his late forties - with light hair styled up almost like a mohawk, and chilling eyes that was in no way alleviated by the light smirk the moving photograph held as he looked out at the room contemptuously. Stella had seen enough similar faces - not in shape necessarily but in expression - in her field to know that whoever this man was, he was of the worst kind of news.

Beneath the picture was the man's name - Gellert Grindelwald - and she asked in a low voice, "Who is that man? On the poster."

Both Newt and Tina glanced over at her question, and both grimaced almost instantly.

"Gellert Grindelwald." Tina muttered, and Stella deadpanned, "Yes, I gathered _that_ from the name printed under the picture. Who _is_ he?"

"One of the darkest wizards of all time." Tina answered, careful not to let anyone else hear their conversation. "And one of the most powerful. He's killed more people, wizards and No-Mages alike, than any one man has ever been recorded to have in history."

Stella started; apparently the wizarding world really was not quite so different from hers after all. There was the good, the wonderful and the loving, but there was also the bad, the cruel and the destructive. The only difference was that her world used gunpowder while the wizarding world used apparently only magic.

She remained silent, however, listening attentively as Tina finished, "He disappeared a while ago, evading capture yet again, and he hasn't been heard of since. Some say he's biding his time."

"For what?" Stella asked slowly, but Tina could only shrug her shoulders helplessly.

Stella recognized that there was nothing else that could be said on the subject, so she let it be; however, she tilted her head slightly as she observed Tina while the witch looked around the bar again uneasily.

Newt had remained silent throughout the conversation, looking down at his lap, but he looked back up as Stella asked Tina, "What's wrong?"

For a moment, it looked like Tina might brush off her question; but then the tall brunette sighed and she admitted, "I've arrested half of the people in here."

"You're a… what was it? Auror?" Stella asked softly, her brow rising in surprise.

While it certainly explained some things about Tina - her penchant for the law, the strangely regretful look Graves had sent Tina when he'd arrested them - it also raised some questions. For example, the 'Madame President's' clear impatience and almost dismissal of Tina at the courtroom, and why Tina had been fated to be punished with Newt if she was an agent of the law.

Tina paused again, seeming to weigh something in her mind. She was eyeing Stella thoughtfully, and Stella got the distinct impression the tall brunette was measuring her.

It seemed Stella passed whatever test was going on in Tina's mind, however, for the woman sighed again before she confessed, "I was. But I lost my job after an… incident, and demoted to the position of a Federal Wand Permit Officer."

Stella blinked, but didn't ask - she didn't think she needed to know and if the title wasn't enough, Tina's clearly scathing tone was enough for Stella to guess what such a job might entail.

But she was still curious about something, and she began tentatively, "I saw you before we officially met - you were at the Second Salemers protest outside the bank. And you looked like you were scouting the meeting."

Tina looked away and Stella pressed carefully, "Why were you there, if you are technically just a… Wand Permit Officer?"

Newt was now watching the pair intently, clearly wanting to know the same answer, and Tina exhaled as resignation took over her features.

"I was there to investigate the Second Salemers, against my superiors' orders… and to keep an eye on the boy."

"Credence?" Stella asked, surprised and puzzled.

Tina was equally surprised as she asked, "You know him?"

"I happened upon him on the streets." Stella explained. "Just after I arrived in New York actually. He was… well, he was in a slight pinch that I helped him out of."

Tina nodded slowly, thoughtfully.

"It seems your meeting with him was not too dissimilar from mine." She murmured, and Stella cocked her head questioningly.

"That boy, Credence..." Tina explained in a low voice. "His mother beats him."

Stella jerked, stiffening in shock and anger, while Tina continued, "She beats all those kids she's adopted but she seems to hate him the most."

"How?" Stella hissed, and they knew it was for more than just what could cause his adopted mother to hate him.

Tina just shook her head, her eyes sad; she then looked over as Newt finally spoke.

"And she was the No-Mag you attacked?" He questioned, looking at Tina as he recalled something the MACUSA had previously said.

Stella gave the brunette a surprised but impressed look at that while Tina admitted, "That's how I lost my job. I went for her in front of meeting of her crazy followers. They all had to be obliviated. It was a big scandal."

"Well, for what it's worth, I think you did the right thing." Stella muttered, and Tina looked at her, startled.

But, seeing the genuinity in the blonde's brown eyes, Tina slowly nodded and she murmured, "Thank you."

Stella just nodded back, before they all glanced up sharply as Queenie hissed for them to hear, "It's him."

Stella turned with Tina and Newt to look as a short man with large pointed ears walked out from a back room and into the pub. He moved around the edge of the stage where the singer was just finishing her song, the light show ending with her and Stella watched as the goblin came towards their table amidst applause for the singer.

As the musicians left the stage and the smattering of applause faded, Gnarlack settled into the one free seat at their table, sitting on the opposite end from Newt. Technically, this placed him between the two women, but Tina was seated just closer to Newt while her body faced Gnarlack defensively. Stella meanwhile scooted even closer to Newt, wary of their contact - the beady eyes that glinted with greed and an unsavoury intellect Stella uneasily recognized from her own dealings with less than upright characters.

"So." Gnarlack commented casually as he sat down and turned to face Newt while one hand held a cigar lazily between his fingers. "You're the guy with the case full of monsters, huh?"

A drink was instantly placed before Gnarlack, the servers attending to their boss immediately, but Gnarlack barely even looked down as his eyes glanced over Newt and then Stella.

"And this must be the No-mag." He added as he gave Stella an almost clinical head-to-toe examination. There was absolutely nothing that suggested a sexual leer in his gaze but the shrewd and almost calculating expression in those dark eyes still make goosebumps rise on Stella's exposed skin.

But years of experience meant that nothing broke her professional mask and Stella just kept silent while Newt commented in a low voice, "News travels fast."

Gnarlack shrugged and then downed his drink, a leering smirk appearing on his face as he swallowed the expensive alcohol appreciatively. Newt swallowed nervously before he continued, "I was hoping you'd be able to tell me if there've been any sightings. Tracks, that sort of thing."

Gnarlack raised a brow before he sat back, looking for all the world like he was bored. But Stella could see the gleam in the goblin's eye and she could practically hear the wheels turning in his mind.

"You've got a pretty big price on your head, Mr. Scamander." Gnarlack began slowly, obviously enjoying the way Newt tensed uncomfortably. "You and your pretty friends."

He nodded at Stella and Tina, the latter of whom tightened her fist while Stella forced herself to remain relaxed. Gnarlack saw right through them, and his slimy smirk widened though his main attention returned to Newt.

"Why should I help you?" The goblin challenged. "Instead of turning you in?"

"I take it," Newt answered slowly, carefully. "I have to make it worth your while."

"Eh." Gnarlack shrugged, acting like he were discussing a minor bet with friends. But again, his eyes told a different story as those black orbs glinted maliciously. "Let's consider it a cover charge."

He stuck his cigar back in his mouth as he stared at them expectantly. Stella fisted her hand on her lap as the tension thickened tenfold. Newt carefully extracted some gold coins - the same kind that Stella had seen being tossed around the pub and which she now realized must be part of the Wizard currency - and rolled them across the table.

Gnarlack didn't even pick it up, didn't even wait for it to reach his side of the table before he scoffed and turned away dismissively.

"MACUSA's offerin' more than that." He pointed out.

Tina and Stella tensed even further, the former Auror sensing the increasing danger in their delicate situation while the crime reporter glanced at Newt as she wondered if he would be able to persuade a clearly seasoned underground lord. Newt's lips had pursed but he wasn't ready to give up and he instead pulled what looked to Stella like a small telescope with a crystal ball at the end instead of a glass eye.

"Uniscope?" Gnarlack questioned as he gave it a cursory glance.

"Mhm." Newt nodded, and Gnarlack smirked.

"I got five."

' _I hate him._ ' Stella thought irritably but she held her tongue; she had no place in this deal, not when she didn't know what was considered valuable in his kind of underworld.

Newt, however, was more well-versed and he grimaced internally but finally pulled out what he knew would capture someone like Gnarlack's attention.

Stella's nose wrinkled when she saw the oblong egg that Newt pulled, which looked like a clear container filled with some kind of liquid and an orange swirl inside that had a dusting of gold dust floating around it. It looked kind of weird, but if Newt was offering it then Stella knew it couldn't be just a regular egg. And if the magical world was anything like the human world then Stella would bet that this was some kind of rare egg worth more than just a pretty penny.

"Frozen Ashwinder egg." Newt murmured as he set the egg down for Gnarlack to see, and at last the goblin's lips split into a pleased smile.

"Well you see," Gnarlack began. "Now we're-"

He broke off abruptly, his dark eyes zooming on Newt's chest.

"Wait a minute."

Stella frowned and she followed the goblin's gaze to see nothing except Newt's dark blue coat and the tip of Pickett's head poking out of the front pocket. The Bowtruckle's leaf twitched before Pickett poked his entire head out curiously.

Stella looked back at Gnarlack before her eyes widened as he demanded, "That's a bow- that's a Bowtruckle, right?"

Realizing that her tiny friend had to be far more valuable than she'd realized, Stella almost kicked Newt when he quickly covered his chest and answered, "No."

' _For someone who owns a great many apparently illegal creatures, he sure doesn't know how to deal with black market traders._ ' Stella thought sourly while Gnarlack insisted, "Oh, come on, they pick locks, am I right?"

The goblin was still staring at Pickett, his whole attention and interest arrested by the Bowtruckle, and Stella knew they were doomed. The only way to make this worse was if someone said-

"You're not having him." Newt said firmly and Stella almost smacked her face into her palm.

Newt had sealed the deal now; Stella didn't even have to wait for Gnarlack to speak to know what the goblin would likely say.

"Well." Gnarlack leaned back and he started to get up. "Good luck gettin' back alive, Mr. Scamander, what with the whole of MACUSA on your back."

Queenie and Jacob's eyes widened from where they sat near the bar as they saw Gnarlack leave the table while Tina shot Newt an alarmed look. Stella bit her lip and glanced at Newt as well, who looked back at her helplessly. She shook her head at him and Newt's shoulders sagged in defeat.

"Wait!" He called in a low voice, but Gnarlack heard him.

The goblin paused and glanced back as Newt pulled Pickett from his pocket… or tried to. Stella grimaced despite herself as the Bowtruckle did everything in its power to first stay inside Newt's coat pocket, then to cling to Newt's coat, and finally cling to Newt's hand, wailing and whining the entire time.

"Pickett." Newt muttered sternly, but unable to hide his apology and dejection as he pulled Pickett away. "Pickett."

Stella forced herself to watch as Gnarlack took the Bowtruckle, taking him away from Newt's slightly unwilling hand even as Pickett tried to cling onto Newt's thumb in an effort not to be taken away.

"Aw." Gnarlack cooed as he plucked the last of Pickett's limbs off Newt's thumb. The Bowtruckle whimpered and drooped dejectedly, and Newt stared with regret after his little friend.

Gnarlack examined the Bowtruckle with a brief smile, actually looking happy, before he turned serious once more as he looked back at Newt and his friends.

"Somethin' invisible's been reeking havoc around Fifth Avenue." He informed them before he started turning away. "You may want to check out Macy's Department store. Might have what you're lookin' for."

"Dougal." Newt muttered, rubbing his face tiredly now that Pickett had been taken from him, before he looked back at Gnarlack. "One last thing…"

Gnarlack looked back curiously, and Newt looked back at the goblin firmly.

"There's a Mr. Graves, who works at MACUSA. I was wondering what you knew of his background."

Gnarlack almost sighed as he rolled his cigar between his fingers before he looked back at Newt as he said a little too casually, "You ask a lot of questions, Mr. Scamander. That can get you killed."

The goblin smirked, and Stella's heart sank. She knew that look - it was the look of a cat who had caught a chased mouse. Or in this case, mice.

"MACUSA are comin'!'" Someone yelled, confirming her fear.

Instantly, the whole bar was filled with noise and scrambled movement as pandemonium broke out while Tina leapt to her feet.

"You tipped them off?!" Tina demaded, aghast, and the goblin only smirked widely.

Stella was equally appalled and she glanced around to see several of the wanted posters on the walls changing to reveal Tina and Newt's pictures, as well as the reward for their capture. Queenie also looked around in alarm, seeing the same thing Stella had, but it was Jacob who reacted the quickest as he jumped to his feet and strode over.

"Sorry, Mr. Gnarlack." Jacob said politely, before he punched the goblin right in the face and sent Gnarlack flying backward. Queenie stared, wide-eyed at Jacob's very Muggle approach to handling the situation, and Jacob shrugged at her.

"Reminds me of my foreman." He said as an explanation and Queenie smiled a little in wonder though it quickly disappeared.

Stella herself would have applauded Jacob for his actions, had she not been occupied with a more important task.

As dark-clothed figures appeared all around the bar, sending people running and creating general chaos, Stella dove away from the table and towards the ground after the small, green figure of Pickett.

The Bowtruckle had used the moment when Jacob punched Gnarlack to break free and the tiny creature dropped to the floor where he ran about quickly, squealing slightly as he avoided being trodden under foot. Stella could barely keep the creature in sight as she chased him amidst the shouting and the stamping feet and fighting people. Newt was not far away, scouring the floor on his hands and knees as he too followed the Bowtruckle, trying to reach the creature before the MACUSA could capture them or Pickett could be trodden on.

"Stella! Newt!" Tina cried, but neither paid too much attention to the call.

Stella would bet anything Tina could get out in time, and Queenie would get Jacob out safely. As long as Newt was still there, Stella could try reach Pickett and she'd still have a way out.

' _Let's hope we don't get caught first..._ ' Stella thought fleetingly, before she cried, "Pickett! Here!"

The Bowtruckle paused at her call, and finally Stella got to the tiny creature. She had barely closed her hands around him and pulled Pickett to safety when a foot came down right where Pickett had been a second before.

"Got you!" Stella gasped, holding Pickett just tightly enough that it wouldn't hurt him whilst ensuring she didn't accidentally drop him as the Bowtruckle squealed loudly.

Newt caught up with her in the next second; he'd seen her catch Pickett in her hands so instead of wasting another moment they didn't have, he wrapped his arms tightly around Stella's shoulders. And before Stella could blink, Newt had apparated them away and to safety once more.


End file.
